The Diary of a Misunderstood Potter
by chadders
Summary: The diary of Billie Potter as she faces love, loneliness and damn hard work in her seventh and last year of Hogwarts. DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except my OC's.
1. Back To School

A/N: This is something new that I'm trying. Give me a few chapters to get in to it :) enjoy.

Just a quick filler on Billie, She's james' twin, fourteen minutes younger than him and has long, messy black hair and hazel eyes and is pretty chuffed she doesn't have to wear glasses like her brother and father do. Her best mate's Lily.

That should help you understand it a bit more!

**The Diary of Billie Potter **

**please return if found.**

**Sept 1****st****.**

**Back to school. Yay . . .not.**

**8:00am**

Just woken up to the sound of mum congratulating James, I mean, that's ok but all she and dad ever seem to do is congratulate the boy, sure, he got all O's in his OWLs and he's been made quidditch captain and more recently head boy but really! I want some love too! Obviously I don't resent my twin for it, I mean me and James, we're like two peas in a pod, identical in almost every way except he's a boy and I'm a girl, which of course does create some minor differences. Plus were close, even Sirius, his best friend doesn't know half the stuff I know about James, even though there's only a 14 minute difference in our ages (he's older) he's always been the responsible one, the caring big brother. When we were kids we used to pretend we were each other and not even mum could tell the difference when I had my hair short, now, it's long and black and a complete mess in the mornings. I'd better get a move on, at least all my stuff's packed – see I'm not completely slack!

**9:00am**

Ok, I am completely slack, ten minutes after I'd finished getting changed Sirius (he moved in this summer) waltzed in and asked me if I'd seen my broom, obviously I wanted to know what the hell he wanted my broom for and then I realised that I'd left it in the garage, dad wasn't best pleased that he had to open it all up again and I swear I saw James smirk as he walked past. I'm not going to survive this year.

**12:00pm**

I hate James. I LOATHE HIM! While we were waiting on platform 9¾ he immediately went off to "find some people he knew" which I knew meant my best friend Lily Evans – he's besotted with that girl – of course when I went off to find her before he did mum called me back and said that "she didn't want me getting lost" HOW WOULD I GET LOST?! Grrr! I was about to complain when James sauntered back with a fake grin and dragged me off with him.

"James!" I protested as he pulled me through the crowds of hugging families.

"What?! I'm helping you!" His grip tightened on my arm and his grin disappeared.

"Where are we going?" I sighed, I know James, and he wasn't going to let me escape on this one.

"To find Sirius." He replied shortly.

"And you are physically unable to do that by yourself?"

"Something like that." James answered lamely, scanning the nearby faces for someone he knew.

"Where would he be?" I winced as James nails dug into my wrist sharply, "OW!"

"There." My brother nodded over to the left and released my arm. I peered over and saw a crowd of people dressed in fine clothes with cold and haughty expressions on there faces, facing the crowd, with his back to us and his wand gripped in his right hand was Sirius.

"What the hell is he doing?!" I gasped.

"He's being a prat, that's what." James eyes narrowed as a tall black haired woman stepped forward; she would have looked quite pretty if it wasn't for the malice in her grey eyes and the way her upper lip curled as she snarled at her son. We stood and watched for a while, both of us unsure of what to do. Eventually, Sirius spat at his former family's feet and turned away, his face turning a guilty red when he spotted us. Thing is with Sirius you see, if he hates something, he hates it whole heartedly, same with James, they don't care if they cause a scene just to prove that they're better than the people they hate. I tried telling this to Lily at the end of fifth year but she wouldn't listen, to be honest, I don't blame her. But that Snape guy, if I wasn't Lily's best friend I'd throw a couple of hexes at him myself. He's just a greasy git up to his crooked nose in dark arts.

"I'm sorry guys." Sirius hung his head and I gave him a hug on behalf of James, it would v-e-r-y uncool for my brother to be hugging his best friend in full view of the entire school especially as half of our year would already know that Sirius had moved in with us over the summer, I wondered evilly what scandal had leaked around already.

"Dickhead." James laughed and draped his arms around the both of us.

We found Moony with his parents looking a hell of a lot better than he had been the last time I saw him during the holidays, probably because then next full moon was in a week so he was at the height of his well being.

"How you been over the hols?" Sirius asked politely, smoothly, almost unnoticeably implying about the boy in front of him being a werewolf – Remus' parents aren't aware that we know about their son turning into a rabid dog every time the moon makes a proper circle.

"Ok." He smiled weakly. James' hand found his shoulder.

"It'll be better with us here now." We all grinned, although I'm not an animagus and I'm not physically able to join them on their monthly jaunts, I'm still classed as a marauder, I'm in on the secret and half of their less evil pranks were my idea, I just hope Lily never finds out, she'll eat me alive!

The boys strolled off to find Peter and I wandered back to a disapproving mum and dad. I swear they hate me they do! Nevertheless, mum had tears in her eyes as she gave me and James our hugs goodbye, dad laughed and told her not to be silly, that we were 16 year olds now and it wasn't cool for us to be seen with a crying mother. He's right of course, but it is a bit hypocritical for him to say that as even being seen across the road from him in public is mortifying. James and I have tried to tell him on numerous occasions that camouflage trousers on a fifty year old are socially unacceptable, along with turtleneck jumpers, pink, mountain climbing gear and skipping, he just won't listen. We pushed onto the train and found our way into "our" compartment, in our third year we engraved the words "reserved for marauders and friends" into the glass, Dumbledore, much to the annoyance of the fat woman who pushes the trolley, found it quite amusing and has forbidden anyone to remove it, sad to think that this'll be our last year riding to Hogwarts in this compartment, real sad.

Lily appeared briefly and we did our special handshake – I know we're that cool – much to Sirius' amusement, he's always found my childish ways funny. Then she dragged James off to the prefect's compartment for their head meeting after swearing that she wouldn't try to strangle him like she did the last time they were alone together and he swearing he wouldn't annoy her. I felt quite pleased with myself; hopefully neither of my best friends will die.

**1:00pm**

James and Lily still aren't back, Sirius, Remus, Peter and I have eaten all the sweets we bought and are on our sixteenth game of exploding snap. What a life I lead.

**1:30pm**

James and Lily still aren't back. Sirius, Remus, Peter and I found more sweets in the bottom of Peter's bag but we've eaten those too, now we're on our twenty-third game of exploding snap. It's started to rain and I feel quite depressed.

**2:30pm**

James and Lily still aren't back. We gave up the snap a while ago, Remus is reading, Peter is asleep and Sirius and I are going through the alphabet and thinking of the rudest word we can for each letter. We're stuck on Q, X and Z. BORED!!

**3:00pm**

Where the hell are James and Lily?! Sirius said that the meeting probably finished ages ago and they're in the loos making out. I was going to go check but then Remus told us both not to be stupid and to shut up. We spent the next five minutes doing crude impressions of him until he whacked us over the head with his book. The Advanced Art of Rune Reading Volume III written by Ihav Nolife, jokes I don't know, or care who wrote it, is a thick book and it hurt you know! Peter has slept through all this. Sirius and I are going to rummage through his trunk and see what he's got hidden in there even if Moony says no. Well unless he says no very forcefully.

**3:05pm**

Moony said no. Extremely forcefully.

**3:45pm**

James and Lily are back FINALLY! Sirius, Moony and I gave them a standing ovation when the entered looking tired and fed up; they just rolled their eyes slumping down heavily and waking Peter up with a jolt. Then they relayed the meeting to us, leaving me feeling less and less sorry for myself every minute, by the sounds of things I'm not going to see Lily at all this year! She and James have to patrol the corridors from 8 'til 11 every weeknight and attend and arrange prefect meets twice a week as well as fitting in all their homework and stuff. I had to stop myself from laughing, James is going to DIE! Sirius flashed me a look that clearly read: LOSERS and sadly, although I love my brother and my best friend dearly I had to agree. We spent the rest of the train ride laughing, joking and reminiscing, Lily stayed put in our compartment, despite the fact that she supposedly hated my brother and his friends. It was nice seeing everyone get on, it's a rare thing.

**7:00pm**

I was never that small! – B

_You were! I remember, you were a little titch. – S _

Cheers, Sirius you make me feel so damn loved – B

'_Swhat I'm here for – S_

Sirius grinned evilly as he passed my diary, back to me. We were sat at our house table, both bored, while the tiny first years were being sorted. Lily feigned interest, but she had told me many a time that she found the whole process annoying.

What, being irritating and grumpy? – B

_I am not grumpy! – S_

You so are! Your signature face looks like you've got a wasp in your mouth! – B

_Yeah, it's called pouting, it's sexy! – S_

Riiiiiiight, whatever you say – B

_It is, ask any girl other than you and Lily – S_

Maybe I will. – B

_You won't – S_

How do you know? – B

_Because you're too chicken, you're only friends with Lily, your brother and you're brother's friends – S_

I was friends with Moony before you guys were! – B

_Suuuuure. – S_

I was, HEY MOONY, wasn't I friends with you before James and Sirius were? – B

Yeah, I think so – R

See – B

_He's only trying to make you feel better. Don't worry about it though, being a loner, it suits you, it'd be weird if you were popular – S_

Gee, I love you too – B

_I know you do, it's the pout, gets everybody, even Moony – S_

What do you mean "even Moony" ? – R

Yeah, what do you mean? Are you trying to suggest that Moony here is unloving? – B

_Course I'm not, I know stuff about Moony's love life that would make you're hair curl – S_

Don't wanna know! – B

Don't worry Bills, he doesn't know a thing – R

_Yeah, don't worry duck, don't worry at all – S_

Duck? – B

_Ducks have Bills – S_

That's crap – B

_Don't crush my creative flow! – S_

I had such a good retort but then Yang, Henry was placed in Ravenclaw and Dumbledore stood up to give his annual speech. This year it was mostly about sticking to the rules, he gazed pointedly over to us Marauders and smiled briefly when he said this, and about house cooperation – pah! Like that's ever going to happen! Salazar Slytherin, the ugly prat, may he rot slowly in his grave, made his choice about house cooperation when he decided to be picky about who went into his house, so if a fight breaks out in a corridor don't blame us, blame him.

After that we ate, bangers and mash with peas and a large slice of chocolate cake for afters, I eat for too much but according to Lily I'm one of the lucky people who can eat everything in the world and not put on a gram. James is like that too, we're both dead skinny.

**11:00pm**

Man, I'm tired! Everyone in the girl's dorm's asleep except me, Lily's curled up in a tight ball with only the top of her flaming red head visible over her covers in the bed opposite her is Alice White, soon, me and Lils are praying, if the damn guy gets his act together, to be Alice Longbottom, how cute does that sound?! There are only the three of us in here, although there are about six girls in all the other houses – sucks but really I wouldn't want to share a dorm with some of the girls in our year. Take Sarah Freeth, I really loathe her, when I say there's nothing real about her I mean it! Everything from her straightened white- blonde hair down to her pink false toenails has had beauty treatment, to be honest, and a lot of people agree, it hasn't worked, she looks like an orange version of miss piggy! Hah, I love the Muppets, as Lily showed me a video of them when I went over to hers in the holidays. Much like Ruby Donalds, a Sarah wannabe, straightened hair, fake tan, uses a beach spade to apply her makeup, mega bitch, same old, same old. Also in their little posse of Barbie dolls is Amy Whitcliffe, Emily Sandlong, unfortunately named, I know, and Jess Guetting - pronounced Getting. All they do all day is chase Sirius and my brother around batting their (fake) eyelashes that are so covered in mascara if you listen hard they go clack. It's disgusting! I've found them hiding around corners waiting to ambush the boys, it's sad really; I mean they're not even that good looking! (James and Sirius, not the gang of tarts, they look like pigs and act like cows. What a farm we have here at Hogwarts!) I'm not looking forward to tomorrow, the waking up early is fine, I can deal with that but knowing my luck, I'll end up with double history of magic first thing on a morning, being honest I don't even know why I let James and Sirius bribe me into taking this subject, I could of taken Divination and drank tea with Alice, but no, I have to sit and listen to a ghost ramble about dead wizards that really, did nothing for the world! Mind you, there are some serious note taking opportunities in that lesson and I bought the nicest jeans in the world with the money they gave me. My worst day possible would consist of History of magic, Potions, Charms then Astronomy, it's not that I don't like to look at the stars, I just like to do it when I want to, not because I have to fill in a chart by Wednesday!

Anyway, we'll see what my timetable's really like tomorrow.

Adios.

* * *

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	2. I Have A Rollercoaster Day

A/N: Sorry, It's taken me ages to write this chapter, but it has been christmas, and one of my new years resolutions is to updagte quicker. Billie's year is just starting and at the moment she's a bit up and down, but we'll have some happier chapters later. Happy new year, and **enjoy.**

**Sept 2****nd**

**9:00am**

I'm writing this during history of magic, there's nothing better to do! Somebody hates me, a hell of a lot. My alarm didn't go off this morning so was half an hour late down to breakfast and all the bacon had gone, probably due to peter, that boy could eat the entire table full off food and still feel hungry, and the cornflakes had gone soggy. Professor Mcgonagall actually tutted as she gave me my timetable, she actually tutted! I mean, I know my hair's a complete haystack and that I probably reek of BO but really, she's supposed to like me! I got all Os and Es in my OWLs and at least I turned up to breakfast, the boys weren't there, at least Dumbledore likes me, he said good morning to me as I passed him in the corridor, he's a nice guy, Dumbledore.

Damn, I'm so narked. My timetable for today goes History of Magic, History of Magic, Transfiguration, Potions, and Potions. Lily's just damn lucky! She can listen to Professor Binns for two hours and not fall asleep, which, if I'm not mistaken, Peter has done, don't blame him, how is knowing the motives of Ragnald the sixth in the fight of the drastic beavers going to help any of us in the real world? I don't even know what the fight of the drastic beavers was? A note's just landed on my desk; well at least this should ease the boredom.

**What the hell's a drastic beaver – J**

If I knew then the world would seem a better place – B

**Aw, you ok hun, it's not mum and dad again is it, they were being really harsh over the summers – J**

I know! You didn't help! But no, I'm just pretty annoyed at our timetable this year – B

**I know, Mondays are turd anyway! –J**

Tell me about it, least we got Transfiguration, one of the subjects I can do, sometimes – B

**Sometimes?! You're almost as good as me, and that's saying something! – J**

Cheers James, *sigh* you make me feel so good about myself – B

**Sorry. I was trying to make you feel better. – J**

_What's up with my ducky? – S_

Drop the duck thing Pads, it really sucks! – B

**Whooaaa, what duck thing, I don't get it! – J**

Moony called me "Bills" last night so that prat decided to start calling me duck because "ducks have bills" – B

_Genius, right? – S_

**Not really, that is kind of lame. – J**

_Guess what? – S_

What? – B

_I don't care, you shall be called ducky, and you shall be mine! – S_

Great. – B

**Hands off Padfoot, she's MY sister – J**

_Awww, don't you just love it when he goes all protective brother on you duck – S_

Yeah. It really makes my day. Naaaaaaaaat. – B

**Fine, I won't do it the future, I'll let you be harassed by would be pervs like Sirius here – J**

Don't worry bro; I eat pervs for Breakfast – B

_I wondered where Michael Darcy went – S_

I couldn't help laughing when I read Sirius' comment, causing a few people to give me strange looks, Michael Darcy was expelled shortly after mine and James' birthday in march last year and nobody is really sure why, all we know is that he was a mad womanizer almost as bad a Sirius, but, I hate to say it, nowhere near as good looking, and he dated nearly every girl in our year in Slytherin and Ravenclaw and was moving on to Hufflepuff when he was kicked out. I remember the conversation that Lily and I had about him, she, like me, thought he was a greasy freak and felt the urge to throw up whenever she was in his presence. Filthy git.

**Good one Pads – J**

_I know! Aren't I the greatest? – S_

No. – B

_NO?! Well who is then? – S_

Me, DUUUHH! – B

**I have to disagree – J**

DISAGREE?! Well who is then? – B

**Lily Evans – J**

_God, James don't start – S_

Yeah, please, don't – B

**Don't what, I'm only saying, that I think she's amazing and beautiful and clever and gorgeous and that when she smiles it's like the world stops – J**

You are so hopeless – B

_I agree, strongly – S_

**But she is! – J**

I know, she's my best friend, and I pick my best friends very carefully but DO NOT start harassing her again – B

_We know you pick your friends very carefully, that's why you've got none! – S_

You know, I thought that you were going to write something nice there – B

_You're joking right? – S_

**I think you two would make a great couple – J**

_Don't start that too! – S_

It's never gonna happen James, I swear, even if it's the death of me, that I will never love Sirius Black – B

_Ouch, don't spare my feelings there at all duckface – S_

Oh, come on, it's like us would ever work EVER! – B

_Well, no but still, saying that I'm unlovable is a bit cruel! – S_

I'm not saying that! I'm sure you'll find the right person, even if you go through every woman in the world to find her – B

_Billie! So basically you're saying that I'm an unlovable womanizer, cheers! – S_

**OF COURSE she doesn't mean that, do you BILLIE – J**

Gawwwdd, I hate James sometimes, when he's not starting a fight he's always trying to keep peace, but doesn't he realise, that's Moony's job?! If I wasn't sleepy and bored out of my head I would smash my brother's unity attempts, but, I really can't be bothered.

Yeah, COURSE I don't – B

_Hmph. – S_

**Are you paying attention? – L**

What's Lily doing sending notes?! I need her to listen so I can copy her notes later. She's often said to me that it would take less effort to take notes now then copy them later, but there is a gene only found in the normal teenager (that Lily evidently doesn't have) that makes it impossible for the child in question to focus for more than five minutes in a history of magic (this time can be dramatically reduced by whether the student is male or female, their age and whether they're being taught by a ghost. Sirius and I usually average about 2 minutes and 16 seconds, on a good day.)

Are you? – B

**Nah – L**

ARGH! Why!!!! – B

**Only joking, I have to, to save your sorry skin – L**

Hah, you could possibly be the best friend in the history of the universe – B

**I know. I'm just that good. – L**

Indeed you are, now work! – B

I actually think Lily is the best person in the universe, James' crush is well justified, I mean, there's nothing about Lily to dislike, she's pretty, funny, moral, very brainy but not a brag, we've always been friends but we weren't proper close until she started to fall out with that creep Snape, you know, I'm quite proud to say I was the person there to hold her hand when things got really sticky. Sigh, I love her.

**11:00am**

I've just blown up the dungeons. I didn't mean to! Allow me to explain before I break something else due to the unfairness of it all.

We all departed from History of Magic feeling pretty sleepy, as always and headed done to the dungeons. You'd think, wouldn't you, that a decent teacher would NOT, when faced with a class of yawning sixteen year olds, most of them, including me, only in this class because they have extremely clever friends/brothers, with an extremely difficult potion, that is likely to explode with just one wrong stir or one ingredient put in at the wrong time! I think this just adds to the list us Marauders have been making to highlight how Slughorn is an incompetent teacher and should be sacked immediately. Anyway I took my place in between Remus and Lily, she's perfect for copying off, and less than ten minutes in my potion went boom sending a huge cloud of acrid yellow smoke went up into the air. Slughorn vanished the contents of my cauldron and sent me outside; his moustache bristling like it always does when he's annoyed and a couple of Slytherins laughing when the Slug asked,

"What happened there, Potter? Did you just give up? Or did a piece of fluff or something catch your attention and you _hand slipped_?" He said the last two words in a high girlish voice supposedly mimicking my excuse last year when I last blew something up in his class, last time though, it was deliberate, Sirius really needed a pee so I made the biggest mess I could and nobody except James and Moony noticed he was gone for at least ten minutes. I'm just too good to my friends, I am. Ugh, I'm not having a good day, I should of just not come to school this year and sold muggle drugs in Knockturn Alley, in fact, who am I kidding, I probably wouldn't even be able to do that. Mum and Dad are right to love James more, I'm just a failure, I mean, even when I do something right it somehow backfires on me! In the summer following my fifth year dad pulled me aside and told me that if I didn't pick up my grades and start behaving properly then he would seriously consider having me pulled out of Hogwarts and taught at home, APPARENTLY, he didn't have that conversation with James although every single one of the letters sent home about him had been bad, except, of course his OWL results which were unfairly good. Not seeing Lily or Alice or Sirius or Moony or Peter again scared me enough to begin to try harder, and I did, I really, really did. Last year I received all Os in my end of term tests and instead of a small celebration which James politely refused for my sake, I got a small nod from dad and a hug from mum. I just don't understand! If I wasn't identical to James then I would swear that I was adopted and they realised they'd made a mistake but couldn't send me back. Mind you, things could be a lot worse, I could be in Sirius' position, having to run away because I hate and am hated by my family that much. It's just, upsetting sometimes.

**1:00pm**

A rough transcript of the conversation had at lunch:

"Billie!" Lily called as she caught up with me, her eyes wide and questioning. "What happened?"

"I dunno! I must have done it wrong." I sighed slumping down and piling a couple of pumpkin pasties on to my plate

"Just a bit!" James laughed as he and the gang joined us grinning. I was quite proud of Lily, she only rolled her eyes a little bit, which is a big improvement from last year and the year before when the two couldn't be within talking distance or else James would harass her unmercifully and she would end up breaking his proud heart and bashing a large chunk out of his ego.

"I thought what Slughorn said was really mean!" Remus frowned sympathetically.

"Me too." Lily nodded. I caught Sirius eye briefly before he started to stare fixatedly down into his chunk of cauldron cake, he looked guilty, but I didn't really want him to feel bad, after all, the incident did happen last year, I'd pretty much forgotten about it, it wasn't a big deal, so I kicked him under the table and he smiled slightly, his supposedly drop dead gorgeous smile that would make Sarah and her gang swoon. Idiots.

"I'm not too bothered, he's just a old, fat spavined walrus." I replied. The boys laughed freely and even Lily sniggered into her Pumpkin juice a little, but only a little as she really quite likes Professor Slughorn.

"We've got another hour of it now." Sirius grumbled, with good cause, he sits right at the back surrounded by Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

"It's not that bad." Lily stated.

"You're good at it! And you're sat within talking distance of your friends." Sirius swallowed the last of his pumpkin pasty rather half-heartedly and announced that he needed a pee and he and the boys left James giving me a quick hug and asking Lily if she wanted one with a laugh. She told him to sod off. Then I laughed. We soon fell into silence, my mind wandering back to the hopeless parent situation until Lily twigged that something was up and began quizzing me about it.

"I'm fine really!" I insisted, laughing despite the fact that I felt pretty pants.

"Tell me." Lily pleaded, looking remarkably like a dog begging for food.

"On the way then." I sighed, Lily always wins these battles of wills, plus, doesn't everyone always say that talking about something makes you feel better. So I told her, pretty much everything, how I feel I can't compete with anyone, can't achieve anything. She looked thoughtful and asked me if I'd talked to James about this and I told I had, and that he had assured me something I already knew, that he wasn't doing it purposefully. Then we had to part but Lils told me we'd talk later.

Now, I am sat at the back of the dungeons, but at the other side to Sirius and I should be writing lines but really, he can stuff it, I'm not writing lines over something that was accidental, I mean, how am I going to learn anything if, instead of him teaching me how to do it right, he sits me in a corner and makes me write lines? He really is a crap teacher! It's only the first day back and I feel slightly suicidal, I think I needed a good pranking session to cheer me up – yeah, that'll do just the trick.

**11:30pm**

I feel better, and I swear, that Sirius Black, the guy's a genius! During dinner, I mention casually to the gang about how I feel a prank may be necessary and how I feel it is our right to execute said prank, Lily gave us all a slight scolding here but when we told her it wouldn't be anything dangerous and that we wouldn't involve any students she relented a little. Then it was Sirius' idea to pinch Mrs Borris, Filch's cat and have her appear in random places just out of the caretaker's reach. Surprisingly, although at first we all thought Lily would put her foot down, she didn't, instead she sighed and told us that if we did anything too bad she'd personally hex us all, Peter laughed at first but soon shut up when he realised that she actually would. So after at about half nine we crept through the portrait hole and out into the deadly silent corridor, James checked the map and we covered ourselves with the invisibility cloak, having to put Disillusionment charm on from our knees downwards as we were to big to all be fully covered by the cloak now.

"They're on the floor below." My brother whispered grinning, so we all snuck down the stairs giggling to ourselves about the mischief we were about cause and boy was it funny.

We found Filch skulking about outside the Transfiguration department, talking to his aging, stripy cat about whips and parchment. We snuck up behind him and while he wasn't looking, cast a non-verbal silencing charm on Mrs Borris and then we plucked him from her side, having her appear at the end of the corridor, her eyes wide with fear and mewing frantically when we removed the charm. Filch jumped out of his skin, looking confusedly down at his side and then back up at his cat who then "disappeared" and "reappeared" a few feet closer to him.

"Mrs Borris?" He stuttered stepping forward towards her before we snatched her up again and had her appear high up on a beam, the expression on that wrinkly caretakers face was PRICELESS, a mixture of disbelief, anger and fear, James whispered something in Sirius' ear and they both grinned evilly: instead of having the cat vanish James raised his wand and had the cat fly around Filch's head. "PEEVES!" He cried triumphantly but faltered when there was no answering cackle from the troublesome poltergeist. Then, I had some books start opening and closing on the desks in all the surrounding classrooms the clacking sound of them shutting making Filch want to run with fear but feeling unable to leave his cat he stayed routed to the spot shaking and twitching. "I-I-I know there's someone here!" He called with a close to breaking voice, "I swear, if I-if I find out who is doing this, I'll have you expelled I will. You-you can't abuse my cat and get away with it, not my cat, no." At this James had the aforementioned cat spin faster and faster above the crooked man's head, until, after sharing a worried glance with Remus, I grabbed his wrist to get him to stop, I mean, I don't like the creature, I think it's a scabby, no good, fleabag but it sure means a hell of a lot to this guy and I really don't want it's death on my hands. After that we headed back to the common room, laughing and taking it in turns to do impressions of the stricken Filch and the spinning cat.

I didn't really expect Lily to be up when I got back, when we've got no homework she usually hits the sack pretty early, and I told her so.

"I said we'd finish our conversation." She whispered as Alice was asleep, patting the space in her bed for me to come and join her. "So, we need a plan." She nodded decidedly.

"A plan?" I yawned, not quite sure of what she meant.

"To show your parents how much better you are then James-"

"Problem." I cut across her before she got too carried away.

"What?"

"I'm not better than James." I sighed, really that's the crux of the matter, I'm not better than James, at anything, and that's why my parents like him better, or at least are more proud of him.

"Maybe not, but you're as good as him at lots of things." Lily put her arm around my shoulder comfortingly.

"Like what?!"

"Quidditch, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, you're better at bat bogey hexes than him!" She listed.

"Oh they'll be so pleased!" I laughed as loudly as I dared, imagining the look on my mum's face if I showed her one off my best spells.

"Have you ever told them how you feel?"

Unintentionally I gave Lily an _are you bloody raving? _Look, James says I have to stop giving people those looks as number 1, it's really scary, and number 2, it's kinda rude, Lily didn't flinch.

"Well? It might help, they might not realise they're doing it!"

"And how would I say that! Hi mum, can you stop treating James like a God and me like something gross you found on your shoe?" I fought to keep the sarcasm out of my voice but I don't think it worked, Lily raised her eyebrows the way she does to the cheeky second years when the talk back after she's asked them to do something: I felt like a naughty kid.

"Bills, they don't hate you! They're your parents, they love whatever you've done, or will do. It's unconditional! They just need to realise they're being unfair, I mean, it can't be easy for them to love you and treat you both the same, you might be identical but you're very different people. I know that, everyone knows that!" Lily threw up her arms in desperation, but I couldn't help shaking my head.

"Sirius' parents don't love him." I pointed out.

"They do, you know at the station, after he walked of with you guys, she cried so much."

I looked, my mouth gaping slightly, at Lily to see if she was being serious, she was.

"I don't understand, if she loves him, then why does she act like she hates him?"

Frowning Lily replied:

"I dunno, she wants muggle free world, he doesn't, I think that she felt like she couldn't love him if she couldn't be proud of him, she thought he was letting down the family, and I suppose she didn't want to appear, what they might think as _weak_ also."

"You thought about this a lot then?" I asked.

"Well, yeah, a while ago." She sighed, probably thinking back to the times when she was viewed as the weaker one, just because of her blood status. I gave her hand a small squeeze.

"What a world we live in."

"What two worlds I live in!" Lily rubbed her eyes tiredly and yawned. "We'll think of something, don't worry about it chuck."

After that I got my pyjamas on and crawled into the four poster bed I'd missed so much and here I still lay. What a first day back, too many ups and downs for one girl to take with still the rest of the year to go. If I survive 'til graduation it'll be a miracle.

Night.

A/N: Hey, hoped you liked that, should be more soon :)

CLICK THE GREEN BUTTON! (you know you want to ;) )

**P.S: sorry if there were any mistakes in there, typos and such, i have no beta reader and i always manage to miss something!**


	3. First Week Done

A/N: Howdy all. Sorry, this chapter has taken me ages, I'm almost ashamed of myself! How's everybody enjoying the snow, well, if it's not starting to melt/ice over wherever you are like it is here. This chapter's more a summary of Billie's first week, she (and I) start to get into the flow of things in her next week. Enjoy and review?

One more thing! IN this chapter we meet the delightful Professor Jubential (Jew-ben-tile) for the first time, just in case any of you are wondering, the name was chosen by my best friend and believe me, i am NEVER asking her for character names again!

**Sept 8****th**

**First Week Finito.**

**11:00pm**

I would have liked to write during the week but I have honestly been swept off my feet. Amidst lectures from every single one of my teachers about how this year is important and bla, bla, bla, and the sack loads of homework they are already giving us, I'm talking a foot long essay on why yew bark extract is essential in the making of the draught of calamity (at the point of saying this the slug peered down from his desk and said, it a rather snobbish voice: "Not that SOME," A glare in my direction, "Of us," A glare in James direction, "need a draught to cause problems." A general glare around at the Gryffindors, bar Lily of course, at which point James twisted around in his seat and flashed me one of his best grins so I sent an identical one back.), 14inches on the use of transfiguration in concealment, a northern hemisphere star chart, including major and dwarf planets, a fully annotated, coloured, diagram of a shanghai grisly parsnip and we need to practice performing all spells non-verbally. So far, I've done my potions, as it's in tomorrow and my transfiguration for the same reason, but I would be extremely surprised if I got a pass on either of them, bet James does though, and Sirius, and Remus, and Lily, and Alice, Sarah bloody Freeth passes too! Sometimes its really hard having super intelligent friends – and enemies, mind you, I wouldn't call Sarah Freeth intelligent, the smartest thing she's ever done is dump Michael Darcy, but you could say she was stupid for going out with him in the first place. Yeah, so I've barely had room to breathe let alone write!

Lily still hasn't thought up a plan for me. I know it's not necessarily law for her to do so, and she's never let me down before, but the situation must be worse than I thought if even her genius mind can't rustle up something.

James had an epiphany in the middle of defence against the dark arts on Wednesday but he won't tell anyone other than Moony what I was about, which is really annoying as he keeps smiling knowingly at various points during the day sometimes with the occasional "Aha!" or "I wonder if . . ." phrased behind an "I'm so brilliant/I know something you don't know" smile. I might get Lily to get Moony, to tell her and then she can tell me, or I could ask Moony myself, or Sirius . . . yeah . . . I'll see who knows, sneakily find out the information I want and then leave the scene, James will never find out . . . unless the person who I got the information from tells him, or I tell someone who tells him that I know – I think this plan is already pretty scuppered, I'll just smack him one next time he irritates me with his secret knowledge. That'll work!

Wednesday was a rather exciting day, mainly because we found out who our new defence against the arts teacher was (he hadn't arrived in time for the start of year feast), and he is so awesome! Professor Jubential, pronounced Jew-ben-tile he told us in a slight Yorkshire accent, could possibly be the greatest teacher, bar Dumbledore, of course, he's just legendary, to walk through our hallowed halls. To explain why, really, he is so much better than all the others I have compiled a quick list of all our previous DAtDA teachers.

**Billie Potter's Pretty Pointless List of All the Useless DAtDA Teachers She Has EVER Had:**

**First Year – Professor Taylor**

If Professor Taylor and Professor Binns entered a: who can send a class of students to sleep quicker contest I think the big T would win. Aptly named the big T, by Sirius after he had given him detention for telling Peter to try and blow up the pixies they were trying to tame, Mr Taylor was easily the fattest man most of us had ever seen, he was even fatter than Slughorn but I bet he's caught up now, what with all the crystallised pineapple Lily keeps getting him, and was completely the opposite to "fat and jolly". Obese and the-most-boring-old-fart-you-have-ever-met would have been much more appropriate, in fact; it was surprising so many of us actually grew to like the class with him teaching it! He left that year complaining of joint seizures, the boys used to joke that he was becoming "stiff" with all the young girls around, I found it quite funny but Lily DID NOT approve, mind you she didn't approve of anything we did back then. . . Teacher 0-1 Marauders

**Second Year – Professor Crane**

When we got a new teacher in September I think we were all praying that he would be at least a little bit better than the big T, it wouldn't be hard. Unfortunately, one look at Prof. Crane told us our wishes hadn't been granted, he sat at the long staff table, his wrinkled head sitting on a long, skinning neck that protruded an unnatural height from his body; his colourless eye sweeping over us with an intense look of dislike curling up his pale lips and showing his yellowing teeth. His lessons, though more interesting than the T's consisting mainly of copying out of textbooks and working in our "practical pairs" (which he had chosen, of course, mine was Alice so it could have been worse!). He left in July because, APPARENTLY, and this could of just been wild rumour, but people claimed that he was returning home because his pet guinea pig, named Greg, had fallen prey to a Venomous Tentacula and he couldn't stand to be in a place that kept them (APPARENTLY, at this point in the staff meeting Professor Sprout, threw a huge hissy fit saying that the plant was misunderstood and that technically he was breaking the law by actually having one in his house, etcetera). We weren't sad to see the back of him. Teacher 0-2 Marauders

**Third Year – Professor Daniels**

If there was ever a man that you would, never, ever catch being modest (ever!) it would be Mr Daniels. I mean, with all due respect, at first, he was pretty cool, he let us sit where we wanted, wasn't too strict about talking whilst working and he even let me of a few detentions but we never did anything for ourselves. From the moment he let us into the classroom, always in a nice straight line – he was pretty OCD about that – he would begin to talk, not that there was anything wrong with him talking, his speeches were animated sometimes with the odd splash of humour, he even got James and Frank (Longbottom) to pretend to be Goblins on a war rampage, but it was always about one subject – him. There was the time when he narrowly escaped with life after being chased through deep dark forests by a werewolf, yes, we Marauders did share a sly grin at this, especially as we were well on our way to getting Moony three furry companions, the time when a troll tried to smash him up with his club, the time when he got clawed by a griffin, when he saved the astonishingly beautiful mer-princess of Spirit Lake, when he met a cross dressing vampire who wanted to gorge on his blood. Problem was, after a term full of these "tall tales" we began to realise that this guy was a bit of a fraud, he was in his early twenties, twenty-five at the most, how on earth could he have done all this remarkable stuff?! I remember talking to dad about it and he just laughed and said: "Sorry, if this spoils all your classes from now on guys, but nobody that young has enough money in their pocket, even if they are extremely rich, to jet of to all those places, meet all those people. I mean, he looks like a bloody Twelve year old!" After that, I stopped paying as much attention, only really listening to the bits that I would need to know, like incantations and homework, passing notes around to the guys instead. Mr Daniels was all set to stay another year as far as we know, but I think Dumbledore asked him, in the nicest possible way I'm sure, to leave, I just feel sorry for all the OWL and NEWT students he'd failed, knowing exactly what sir said to a welsh barlady to bag him a free room is not a standard curriculum question I don't think! Teacher 0-3 Marauders

**Fourth Year – Professor "Call me SIR" Jackson**

The first teacher we ever actually hated. Hated with such a fiery fury it became our mission to cause this man misery. You see back then, Lily used to call James arrogant, bigheaded and the like but this guy he was the king of Superiorville, in fact, he was God of that place. He never let us do anything ourselves, during that year I think we only raised our wands about twice in his class if we weren't causing trouble, of course, as he chose not to let us do ANY practical work and instead show us how to perform spells with him up against a big metal dummy. I remember our first lesson with him, he sauntered in ten minutes late before sitting on the edge of his desk, running a hand through his full head of hair and announcing sourly, the look on his face like he had just been forced to swallow a lemon: "This is my class, I am your teacher, I am better than you, that is why I am the teacher and you are the students. Here, you will call me SIR or Professor; you are not required to use my surname, which is Jackson, as you . . . curious, little . . . beggars will demand to know." That was it, that short introduction was enough to make him the most loathed teacher ever. I suppose another annoying thing about him was the small band of girls that seemed to tail him everywhere, I even spotted then loitering outside the staffroom door waiting for him to come out once (which they would deny strongly when asked at a later date), and to this day we still can't work out exactly what they saw in him, he had the personality of a salt covered slug, an unpleasant deep voice and always carried a look on his face that said "I am better than you." By about Christmas, James and Sirius had done enough experimental poking with his ego to know what really wound him up and then, throughout the rest of the year showed SIR just how much better he was (he wasn't). For instance, SIR really hated his authority being mocked so every time we had to say his name we shouted it, saluting mockingly watching with delight as he turned a delicious shade of red, also, PROFESSOR always kept a jar full of cockroach clusters in a cupboard in his desk, cockroach clusters were, evidently, his favourite sweet as we one saw him confiscating them off some tiny first years and scoffing them himself, so we always stole a few sweets every lesson, just four or five, tittering at the bemused look on his face when he saw the jar decreasing without him eating any. One of my favourites was on April Fool's day, when we bewitched all the suits of armour in the castle to follow him around when his back was turned, and to stop when he was facing them, even Lily, who hated him as much as we did but was far to goody-two-shoes to admit it found the sight of him marching down the corridor pursued by hundred of metal men who all jumped to the sides of the corridor in a perfectly innocent stance only to start clonking after him again when he continued on his way and that day when we jinxed him with a tripping curse just as he was about to eradicate the dummy causing him to fall and land on his arse and his metal creation to fall heavily on top of him. He left without reason, but we reckon it was because he couldn't take anymore pranks! Teacher 0-4 Marauders

**Fifth Year – Professor Fury**

I always found the irony of this teacher's name with regards to his temperament pretty startling. To be truthful, I have never been as scared of an adult as I was of him. After the shambolic teaching that was shown by SIR, Fury was a scary contrast . . . a very scary contrast indeed. Due to the past four year of abysmal teaching we were so far behind it was untrue, and sir, well, he soon set us straight! In an alternate universe he would have been a slave driver, we tore through masses and masses of work and what he said was simple, "If you don't keep up, you chose to lark about at the back with your friends then you miss out, we've got four years of work to cover in one term and a whole OWL course after that – I don't give a damn whether you pass or not, but if you want to pass you've got to work hard!". I swear, that man had the loudest voice ever, deep and angry, like he was ready to snap at any second; Lily admitted that she nearly wet herself when he first spoke to her. We did it though, we got through all the work, our arms and wand hands sore and aching after each lesson, I think even Sirius bucked up his act in that lesson although he was always the last to do so, he still farts around the most now, because, I think, although everyone hid it behind complaints and verbal abuse, we were all pretty awed by the man, even though he scared us half to death when he walked in with a face like murder or shouted loud enough to wake the dead after somebody got a D in their homework, he was quite an impressive figure. Detentions with him were always quite interesting, usually, as they were after dinner, around seven-ish, he would be dressed in slacks and slippers and although we were still appraised with the same omniscient glare and made to clean grotty tanks and animal skulls it was like meeting another man. The strangest thing was, he always used to put music on for us whilst we scrubbed well into the night, he would sit there not saying a word, reading, marking or writing but it used to seem like he preferred our presence rather than being alone. He left in the summer saying that his job was done and that he'd helped used pass our exams and that next years seventh years and fifth years would too. A strange man, a good but demanding teacher and it's thanks to him (and all the experimental spell work we used to carry out) that I passed my OWL with an O – so I have to give it to him Teacher 1-4 Marauders

**Sixth Year – Professor Berryman**

Last year we were treated with the delights *cough* of Professor Berryman, who was in fact, a Berry horrid woman. She was French and it was obvious from her wrinkle free complexion and the tight robes she wore that she had only finished from Beaxbatons a few years ago. She tried to be dynamic, she tried to make her lessons fun, she tried to get people to join a defence against the arts group, even Sirius didn't although he swore he'd do anything for her 'cos she was "fine", she tried to flirt, she tried to make us like her, and when that all failed she turned into a miserable hag, doubling our homework and making us copy out of a textbook in silence. Well, she tried . . . we wouldn't do it, James and I organised, and it took a while, that nobody, not even Lily, who told me during one of her many funny impressions of her that she, "'ateeed eerr guuts.", touched their textbook, instead, leaving it lying on the table for the duration of the lesson and finding other ways to amuse ourselves (talking, hexing each other, the usual.). The first time we did this she stormed off to Dumbledore in a grump but when he came down to "sort us all out" we were sat in perfect silence, each with a page full of writing about the methods for defence against water beasts, Miss Berryman, well she was stunned to say the least, babbling on about how, "Zey verrren't vorking ven I left!" Dumbledore just sighed and bade the class a pleasant day, and I'm sure I saw him wink as he left but the moment was brief and it could have been a trick of the light. She left that year after enduring countless pranks, not just from us, and went back to France "Vere ze cheeldren don't beehave badly." At this we just laughed and told her, with sarcasm she didn't pick up on, that she would have fun wherever she went. Teacher 1-5 Marauders

**Seventh Year – Professor Jubential**

Everything about him screams awesome. I know it would be pretty easy for him to look good after all the terrible defence against the dark arts teachers we've had over the past six years but he really, really is ultra cool! He has a wicked sense of humour, the most awesome hair I HAVE EVER SEEN, and that includes Sirius' whose hair is pretty damn good, he wears converse (yellow ones!) and he is loved by everyone. Well, when I say everyone, I mean, everyone bar the Slytherins that I would most like to hex into next week, but I mean they like nobody and nobody likes them.

_Eeeeep!_

No, it's ok Lily and Alice are still safely asleep after my sudden, high pitched excited outburst. I just cannot wait 'til Wednesday, damn! He's just too cool, it should be illegal!

I suppose I'd better get some sleep now, either that or I do some homework and in all honesty, I'd rather sleep.

Until whenever – Night.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that, i suppose it was more background than plot but i just really wanted to portray how truly wicked this new guy Jubential is.

Click the big green button on you way out, everytime you don't a puppy dies!


	4. Shocking News OR I Beat James!

A/N: Hey, guys, a nice long chapter specially for you. Here we touch on Billie's anger problems, or a Sirius so eloquently put it: "It's like sleeping dragon, blink once being eaten by dragon." Also, we get a little bit about the background of Lily and Bills' friendship. Enjoy and **review**!

**Sept 9****th**

**Shocking News**

**9:00am**

I'm dead. Hah, my card in the morgue,

Name: Billie Potter

Age: 16

Cause of Death: Boredom and constant annoyance from her brother and friends.

Usually, I wouldn't be bothered if someone was sending me notes through History of Magic, it numbs the pain of boredom but today James is being just so damn ANNOYING!

**I know something you don't know – J**

I would hope so, you're supposed to be the golden child, at least make people's love well justified – B

_Oooh harsh, ducky ;) – S_

Yes, Sirius hasn't given up in the ducky thing yet, maybe is we burn the words: to call Billie 'ducky' is not funny into his skin hourly he'll learn.

Oh, go away both of you – B

**I thought you liked having written conversations in this class? – J**

I do but not when you're in this mood – B

**What mood?! – J**

_I think she means the mood you're in now which I would say is jerk, borderline dickhead – S_

You're no better! – B

_Billie! I was helping you! Are you in a bad mood? – S_

Do I sound like I'm in a bad mood? – B

_Yes – S_

**Yes – J**

Yes – R

_Yes – P_

Oh! Fantastic, the male species do have some brains – B

I have brains – R

**I have brains! – J**

_I have the bestest brains of all time – S_

Peter? – B

_I, I don't think I have brains! - P_

I think, err, enough said the better on that one, are we in agreement – B

**Sí – J**

Ja! – R

_Oui - S_

_What do those words mean again? – P_

Yes. – B

_Ohh – P_

I'm still mad at you all! – B

**Why?! What have we done EXACTLY to offend you so entirely? – J**

Well, there's you going on and on and on and on and on and on about your epiphany or whatever it was that happened to you, there Sirius calling me ducky and being all annoying, Peter's being dumb! – B

Am I doing anything in particular to annoy you? – R

Yes. – B

What? – R

I DON'T KNOW! – B

**Uh Oh, angst warning – J**

Sod off James – B

_You know I've just thought of something amazingly awesome – S_

**Go on – J **

Right now another piece of parchment has just landed on my desk, it's from Moony:

Bet you a bar of chocolate what Pads is about to say if a load of crap – R

No deal. I think you're right – B

_Go on! – P_

_Well, you know when we where speaking in different languages earlier on? – S_

Yes –R

_Well if you read it in full out loud it sounds like see ya wee! – S_

Sirius? Really? - B

I told you so Billie! – R

That's really shocking! You're supposed to be the cool mature one and 'see ya wee'? That's not cool and mature man! – B

**I found it funny – J**

Yes, and that's the reason Lily wouldn't go out with you! – R

_So what you're saying, Mr Moon, is that James can't get a date because he finds me funny? – S_

No because you're immature – B

_Least we don't have siriusly freaky mood swings – S_

GAH! You're obsessed with that pun! – B

_See, there you go again! It's like sleeping dragon, blink once then you're being eaten by dragon – S_

I'm not that bad! Least I'm not vain and proud and obnoxious – B

_You're spending faaaar too much time with Evans – S_

Hey! Don't criticise my Lily! You don't spend anywhere near enough time with Moony! – B

_I spend nearly every moment of the day with Moony! – S_

Yes, but you obviously don't pay enough attention to the way he behaves around people, his manners are far better than you three's put together! – B

**I have manners! – J**

Only when you want something or you're drunk – B

It's a really funny fact that whenever James has had a couple of glasses of firewhiskey or wine, just before he's at capacity he suddenly becomes really polite and walks around like a real gentleman, it's almost as funny as Remus' David Bowie impression that he sometimes treats us to when he's had a good few.

**Hah. Funny. Not. – J**

_You're not polite! – S_

Never said I was – B

_Yeah, but isn't it a bit hypocritical to criticise us about something you don't even do? – S_

GUYS! SHUT THE HELL UP! – R

_She so started it – S_

DID NOT! – B

_DID TOO! – S_

I asked you to leave me alone and you wouldn't! Your entire fault – B

**We were only trying to have a laugh! – J**

Yeah, but sometimes your kind of laughs aren't appreciated – B

**Do you know what, you are spending too much time with Lily – J**

Guys, apologise now! - R

_Sorry, Billie, I love you, without you in my life I would suffer – take me back – S_

Sarcasm not appreciated – R

**Sorry, Billie, if I have annoyed you, I love you, my life would be meaningless without you – J**

Sorry, Guys, If I have been grumpy, I adore you both and my life would suck big time without you both in it. Friendicles? – B

**Friendicles – J**

_Friendicles – S_

_Friendicles – P_

Peter, did you even fall out? – R

_I dunno, it was so intense I felt like it did, plus, I like the word Friendicles . . . – P_

Gawd, Peter, what planet are you from?! – B

**Jamillie planet! – J**

I couldn't help laughing out loud at this, obviously Professor Binns didn't notice, Jamillie planet was an imaginary planet me and James made up when we were what, like four?

Haha, yeah that's the one! – B

May I ask? – R

Jamillie planet is an imaginary planet that we made up when we were four – B

***sigh* Good times, good times - J**

_Nothing weird about that – S_

**Damn straight! – J**

James – B

**Yes, my little frilly Billie? – J**

Damn straight + you = never to be said EVER again, ok? – B

**Sure Billie Willy – J**

_Do you remember when everyone used to call you that Bils? – S_

I can hardly forget they were the best couple of weeks of my life! – B

Why did they start calling you that anyway? – R

Oh, I wonder don't you, AHEM, Sirius? – B

_Me? Nope, not a smidgen of a clue – S_

**You spread around a rumour that my sister had a dick?! – J**

_No, no, no! – S_

Nah, he didn't but it is his fault – B

_I called her Willy instead of Billie in Herbology ages ago; I remember a few people found it rather amusing – S_

*COUGH* Sarah Freeth *COUGH* Slag – B

Hah, yeah I remember now – R

_I hate her – S_

Well, she don't hate you man! Or you bro – B

**Haha, you know Lily? – J**

Who? – B

**She has really shiny hair – J**

I don't know a Lily, introduce her to me – B

**I would but . . . I think you know her – J**

Nah, I don't think I do – B

_WHOA! IS THAT THE?! – S_

BELL! – B

**C'MON LETS GET OUTTA HERE! - J**

**11:00am**

I did it! I passed! I beat James! I got an O he got an E! My whole fourteen inches on the use of transfiguration in concealment was a whole grade higher than James', hah! I feel like standing on the table and doing the Macarena! I will never doubt myself again! I can see the side of James' face now, he doesn't look too gutted, which I suppose is a little less satisfying than if he was devastated, in fact, he probably is, he's just hiding it. I really need to stop grinning, my jaws are beginning to ache and I'm presuming I look nightmarish.

**Stop grinning! – L**

Yup, I look freaky.

Oh! You're sending notes! How rebellious ;) – B

**I am saving lives. – L**

Howzat? – B

**By stopping innocent minds being corrupted by that demented smile of yours! (Of course) – L**

Oh, of course. – B

**Yepp, why were you grinning, oh-so-evilly anyway? – L**

I BEAT JAMES! – B

**Haha, well done! – L**

Don't be sarcastic; this is a life's achievement for me! – B

**Billie! What have I said about putting yourself down? – L**

Eeerrr, nothing? – B

**Really? Well I meant to! – L**

Well it's a bit too late for that *sniff* - B

**Aw, I'm sorry if my pep talks are unsatisfactory – L**

*SNIFF* - B

McGonagall's just shot a "McGonagall Ninja Death Look", (named after the boys told all the first years that Prof McGonagall could shoot ninja shots with her eyes! This, I think (?) is a lie!) at Lily, a first, of course, for laughing, I swear I'm having a bad effect on that girl! Lily is always one of three people, she can either be the amazing funny, bright, popular girl who everybody wants to be, the moody, I hate James Potter

Lily, the grumpy one that finds it hard not to snap at people and often hands out detentions to everyone for nothing or the responsible, straight-laced Lily, who never puts a toe out of line and is all the teachers' favourite. The third Lily is how most people would describe her personality if they didn't know her that well as she usually saves her jokes/moods/tears for me. I can never feel to angry at her when she's grumpy though, when she screams at you for no real reason except that she's having a crap day, I always just feel lucky to be her best friend, to have been the one there that night when she was so seriously her by that slime ball Snape. She was in a really bad state back then, I remember it all too clearly, the way she came storming into our dorm and collapsed on her bed, curling up without even bothering to draw the curtains or pull her quilt around her self, then suddenly bursting out in tears, me running over and giving her a great big hug. Earlier that day, her supposed best friend had called her one of the most unforgivable names in the wizarding world and it was probable that he had come back to grovel, to beg forgiveness, I remember hoping that she'd just told him to shove off, but I often wonder if that was just me being selfish and wanting her to hate Snape so she'd like James_._ Being just the two of us awake Lily seemed more willing to talk, to get all her feelings of her chest – I suppose it didn't really matter who to, even the slightly less berkish, but still quite berkish sister of her sworn enemy. Every word she said hurt me more than she realised, she sobbed about her lost friend Snape, how it was her fault he started using dark magic, how she should've been there for him, to stop him but we both secretly knew that it wasn't her fault at all, it was James' fault and Sirius' fault and Peter's fault and I suppose it was partly my fault and Remus' fault, we could of stopped them but we didn't and now Lily was hurting because of our actions, because James and Sirius were to proud to back off, because Peter was such a bootlicker, and because I was far too chicken to stand up to my twin and Sirius. Of course, and I know it's no excuse for my actions, but at the time I was only a Marauder and that was it, I wasn't a Marauder and Lily's best friend, not even a Marauder that everyone loved like James and Sirius, so I suppose I knew that if I fell out with them, I wouldn't have anyone to fall on. Even now though, two years full of ups and downs with Miss Evans when I catch her glancing in Snape's direction or staring out at the beech tree in which's branches the boy hung upside down, I always feel guilty. Sometimes I wonder if what happened was for the better for her, whether she's ever been truly happy without Snape. I guess I'll never know, I'm far too spineless to ask. Being a coward's so crap.

**Um, earth to Billie! – L**

Wha-! What was I doing? – B

**Well, your face went blank and I swear I saw a bit of drool dribble out of your mouth – L**

Haha, very funny – B

**I know I am dear! What were you daydreaming about? – L**

I wasn't daydreaming! I was thinking and writing. There's a difference you know! – B

**Ok then, what were you 'thinking and writing' about? – L**

Not telling! – B

**Why?! – L**

Because! It will make you upset! – B

**I won't get upset if you want to think about your brother Bils! – L**

My brother? How did you reach that conclusion? – B

**Well I simply thought of the thing that upset me most in the world! – L**

Ooops, I've just received a McGonagall Ninja Death Look – I know let's call it a MCNDL – for laughing and I need to write some notes fast or else she's going to know I have been "off task" as all the teachers say as a more intellectual sounding alternative to "not doing work".

**1:00pm**

Professor Slughorn has just been caught out marking down homework. Unfortunately, I cannot take any credit for his failure. That was caused by the amazing Sirius Black. It all started just after we'd gotten our essays back at the end of our double period and the Slug was giving us a few minutes to read through his comments (I got an A, my comments were mainly about how crap I am, but I'm glad he passed me!) when Sirius called from the back, his voice echoing against the rock walls.

"Hey! Sir!"

The teacher pretended not to hear him, choosing to suck on a piece of crystallized pineapple with his eyes flickering around his classroom, looking anywhere but in his direction.

"Yo! Sir! You with the pineapple!" Pads hollered, flashing a grin at James. I could hear the mischief in his voice and I think Lily could too, as she turned around to look at him, as to judge what he was planning, but she obviously found nothing, twisting back to her potion frowning, of course, he was up to something, but only the master can read Sirius Black.

"What?" Sir asked in a jaded tone, arching his eyebrows over his glasses at the boy, I'm certain he could only just see.

"You gave me an E!" The boy grinned; most of the class were looking, or sneering in quite a few Slytherin cases, at him now, finding this blossoming conversation far more interesting than the concoction they were supposed to be brewing.

"Congratulations, you can read." Professor Slughorn didn't bother being polite, wanting to end this potentially disastrous conversation while he could. Loud sniggering erupted from the Slytherin side of the class (we don't mix, that's a sick thought).

"Well," Sirius continued loudly, regardless, "I was wondering what exactly exceeded your expectations in my essay."

"This time, the content of your homework didn't involve mentions of how good cockroach clusters are for a sore throat, and how to trick a barman into giving you triples instead of singles – yes, I think this essay was of a much better standard than the last few you have given me." Many students laughed, it was a well know fact that Sirius had given up on his last potions essay of sixth year and had decided to fill the parchment with random stupid knowledge he had collected over the years.

"Oh, yeah, I know the last one stank . . . Also, sir, here, you've put a big cross next to one of my facts but I swear its right!"

After a long sigh the Slug replied: "Yes, and what was your fact?"

"Yew bark has only been used in potion making since around 1654 because of the ferocious Bowtruckles that inhabited them." Sirius recited, he was right, and we all knew it, not because we're potions geniuses (well Lily is), or because we chose to use that fact in our essays (well Lily might have done), but because of the rapid reddening of Sir's three chins.

"He's right." Lily whispered, trying to keep the annoyance out of her eyes, and blushing slightly when I gave her a look that told her she'd failed.

"He is allowed, you know." I joked.

"Is allowed to what?" Moony asked politely but with a wry smile.

"Be right." Lily answered.

"Sirius? Never!" We laughed quietly as the Slugs chin's turned an even deeper shade of red, now verging on purple. I had always marvelled at the brotherly love Remus and Sirius shared, it was cute, Moony allowed himself to be ridiculed slightly by his friend and returned the jokes whenever an opportunity arose, I don't think they could ever fall out properly. By now the rest of the class were either shuffling through their notes to see whether Sirius WAS right or using the opportunity to talk in between themselves, but then soon shut up when sir cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Yes, yes, I think you're right, there, um, Mr Black." He stumbled awkwardly, avoiding Sirius' gaze.

"So why'd you put a cross next to it then?!" Sirius exclaimed, the way he always does when he feels a great injustice has been done against him. Sir said nothing.

"You put it there so he thought he'd got it wrong?!" James exclaimed, the way he always does when he feels a great injustice has been done against his best friend. Sir said nothing.

"So you could mark his work down?!" Remus added, more thoughtful than angry. I, personally was disgusted, I mean, sure, the guy's head of Slytherin but I didn't think he was that low!

"Professor?" Lily asked quietly, I suddenly felt a surge of pity for my best friend, Slug's her favourite teacher, and she won't want to believe he'd do something as unfair as that. He gave her an apologetic look and said simply,

"Class dismissed." There were a few stray mutterings but most people seemed happy enough to leave ten minutes early – most people.

"No!" Sirius folded his arms and made it clear he wasn't going anywhere, "I'm not moving, until you tell me why you marked my essay wrong when it was right and you knew it was!"

"Me neither." I sat down, copying Sirius' arm folding, if he marked Sirius' work wrong, what has he been doing to mine?!

"Me neither." James hadn't even moved.

"Me neither." Peter sat, probably only because James did but it's like a petition, but we need all the people we can get, rather than signatures.

"Me neither." Remus bit his lip, rebellion wasn't really his thing, I nudged him slightly and he smiled. Then, surprising us all, and looking like she was surprising herself Lily sat down with a very final sounding,

"Me neither."

The fat git seemed at loss for what to do, us troublemakers he could deal with, but forcing a punishment on his precious Lily? Never. Really, what could he do? We weren't in the wrong, we weren't going to be late for our next lesson, and if Dumbledore ever found out about this incident he would surely be sacked. He was stuck as surely as we were stuck to our seats if he didn't come up with something soon.

"Lily." He managed to choke out pathetically.

"Yes, Professor?" She replied coolly, completely unimpressed, I had to bit my lip to stop myself from grinning, out of the corner of my eye I could see James pulling a "Christmas has come early!" face, a small, almost inaudible snigger from Remus told me he had seen it too. Slug was about to reply when Professor Beery, our Herbology master strolled in then froze when he saw our angry faces and Slughorn's embarrassed one.

"Everything ok here?" He asked, his voice a shade wary.

"Sure." Sirius stood up abruptly snarling through gritted teeth, shortly followed by the rest of us. "Hey." He spat, "Sir, I'm just gonna leave this here, for you to take a look at. That ok?" Prof. merely nodded and we marched out of the classroom taking it in turns to glare at the teacher.

"Cheers guys." Sirius grinned as we stepped out into the corridor, parting the crowds of third years that were waiting to go down into the dungeons and making our way up to Transfiguration. "And thank you Miss Lily!" We all clapped and wooped until she cracked a smile.

"Pleasure." Although she said it with as much sarcasm she could muster, it was pretty obvious she wasn't meaning it.

"Yeah, thanks Ginge." I laughed as I ruffled her hair, Lily HATES being called ginger and when I found out it became her new pet name.

"Lily does NOT have ginger hair!" James insisted wrinkling his nose slightly.

"Does to! She resembles more of a carrot than a human." I joked putting an arm around her which she threw of in mock upset.

"I don't want to talk to you!" It would have been better if she was unable to laugh. We were all spluttering with laughter when we reached The Great Hall for our evening meal, it's really nice to have Lily around with the guys, especially if she's as relaxed and easy going as she was today. Real nice.

**9:00pm**

I'm all alone and really, really struggling with this History of magic Essay, Lily has left me her huge folder full of notes as she's off patrolling corridors with James, but I just can't seem to find the information I need, it's a real bummer that Remus and Pads aren't here either, they're off looting Hogsmede and Lily forbade me to go with them. When Lily Evans forbids you to do something you don't do it – believe me, I've still got the scars from the last time I didn't do as she said. So here I am, sat in complete solitude, well almost, Lily's cat, named Stumpy (by me) because of its ridiculously short legs, is curled up on the armchair next to me, fast asleep, comfortable in the heat from the common room fire.

"Hey Stumpy, don't suppose you know what year Rankgin the Reckless lost the Battle of the Sharp Mangoed Pygmies?"

Oh, great, now I'm talking to a cat. Although, a nice one. Oh, great, now I'm making up excuses for talking to the cat. WHERE'S LILY!

**9:45pm**

How long does it take for two people to patrol a couple of corridors? I need help! In the last forty-five minutes I have written exactly 19 words which were: Monday 9th September, Billie Potter, How did Rankgin the Reckless' actions affect the Battle of the Sharp Mangoed Pygmies? Great, isn't it! I have decided, after much scientific deliberation, that I don't like silence. I might put some music on, but then again, that involves shifting all the notes off my lap and going upstairs . . . nah, I just can't be bothered.

**11:00pm**

Lily and James got back about 10:15 at which point I was just about to cast an unforgivable on myself because of the boredom.

"Hey?" James asked gingerly when he saw my expression, which I was guessing was complete shock.

"Billie, are you alright?" Lily stepped over to me.

"No! I am not ok! Where have you been?! Who the hell is Rankgin the Reckless?! Why, where are your notes from today?! Why won't stumpy talk to me?! OW!" Pain shot up my finger as I sliced it on the parchment I was attempting to move off my knee, "SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PEOPLE LEAVE ME ALONE!" I collapsed back on my chair just as Sirius, Remus and Peter sauntered back in, smiles plastered on their faces and their pockets stuffed with sweets.

"'Sup, Duck?" Sirius asked pulling a large bag of lollies and bubblegum out of his pocket and throwing it at James, who, of course, caught it.

"Oh, nothing. Did you guys have a good time?" I phrased quickly trying not to be angry, well, trying.

"Yeah, it was great thanks – Sirius was-" Peter began tactlessly.

"Fantastic, that's just dandy, well as long as you're all ok. Good night." And with that I stormed off sucking on my paper cut, Lily following me sighing.

Call me a drama queen but at the moment I'm tired and grumpy and all I really want to do is sleep. Lily can do my homework for me tomorrow – I mean, I'll do my homework tomorrow like a good girl.

'Til tomorrow then, Night.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Press the green button if you did, or if you think something's wrong, or if you have any ideas, OR if you thought it was the crappiest thing you've ever read, all reviews are read and appreciated :)

I'll try and get the next chapter up ASAP


	5. Yeah, And I'd Call Him Buckbeak

A/N: Greetings all. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, this one's a bit shorter, but i really feel i spoiled you all, 4,000 odd words? My fingers were exhausted! This one's a bit 'o foreshadowing and a bit of Sirius/Billie friendship. Special prize for the reader who spots the idea that i stole off Glee AND Bonus, Extra Special Prize for anyone who spotted the teensy weensy link to Blackadder Goes Forth in the last chapter (my class watched it in history = VERY funny)

Enjoy! AND **REVIEW!**

**Sept 10****th**

**Yeah, I'd call him Buckbeak**

**11:45am**

Pheeeeew, ten days into the new school and boy am I feeling, everything is so mad! This year's first years are the slackest I have ever seen (it dawned on me that this lot will be the last new first years I see ever again, but I cast that thought to the back of mind, I don't want to even consider leaving this place until the last day), I swear, half of them don't know their way around yet! You find them wandering around in corridors looking like little lost and when you tell the right way to go they thank you profusely in their little squeaky voices (I wish they would just hit puberty already, but mind you, if you try to help a third year they'd probably just blank you – teenagers these days!) and complain about how huge this place is, then dart off before I can disagree, I think this place isn't anywhere near big enough, not when you have explored every inch of it anyway. Us seventh years are being slave driven, the amount of work we are being set in lesson is plain cruel and I'm not even going to comment on the homework or else I'll get really, really angry, I've barely seen Lily outside of lesson, she's always off up in the library straight after dinner, a place which I avoid at all costs, or she's patrolling corridors or supervising detentions. According to her there has been twenty-six detentions handed out already, I wasn't about to point out that 12 of them were from the boys and James had managed to get them all written off, that would probably really annoy her.

At the moment I am sitting in charms and having already cast a cheering charm and a silencing charm on my alarm clock non-verbally (pfft, I've been doing that since third year!) I am enjoying a few quiet minutes before Flitwick sets us another task.

_So, what do you think? Do you reckon James would let us have a pet Hippogriff? – S_

Allow me to explain, last lesson, in care of magical creatures we were studying Hippogriffs, which are incidentally Sirius' favourite animal (after dogs) and when we paired off to draw diagrams and write notes on the beauties Sirius exposed his plan about buying a huge plot of land and on it building a huge house for me, him, Remus and Peter, when I asked about James he shrugged and said, well, he'll either still be living at home or he'll be living with Lily, or 'Evans' as he calls her.

"Yeah, and we'll have one of these gorgeous creatures allowed to roam free in the back garden." He continued, far too excited about his fantasy.

"That'd have to be one hell of a back garden!" I laughed imaging the scene.

"Well, see I was thinking that if we all put as much cash in as we could we'd be able to afford it!"

"You think?" That would never happen, Remus has his furry little problem so it's going to be hard for him to get a proper job, it'll be a miracle if Peter walks out of this place with any qualifications at all so he's not going to get a job easily, Sirius isn't going to get any financial help from his family and we both want to be aurors so that means no income for about four more years.

"No, it'd never happen, but I do love Hippogriffs, we'll just have to beg James to get us one." He sighed sadly and I swear I saw a sympathetic look pass through the Hippogriff's eyes as if heard his story and wants to help. I was probably just imagining it.

Haha, I doubt it, he's not their biggest fan but Lily thinks they're pretty cool – B

_Yeah, but although we know they're going to end up together, I can hardly go up to her and say "Hey, Evans, you know when we've left school and you married my best friend, the guy you enjoy pretending you hate, will you get me a pet hippogriff?" – S_

Well, you could do, it just depends whether you want to be slapped or not – B

_Nah, I'd rather not be slapped, it might disfigure my beautiful face – S_

Beautiful? Whatever you say . . . So have you got any names? – B

_Yeah, I'd call him Buckbeak – S_

Buckbeak, I like that, colour? – B

_Browny-grey with lovely amber eyes – S_

You've planned this! – B

_Course I have! It's my dream! Don't tell me you don't have a dream! – S_

Well, being an international quidditch player is something I wouldn't object to I guess – B

_God, you remind me of James sometimes – S_

Yeah, that's probably because we're identical twins ;) but, no, I think James' dream is to be stuck on a desert island with Lily – B

_You're kidding? She'd eat him alive! – S_

Mmm, I dunno, I think by the way they're acting around each other we might even hear a civil conversation from the two of them by the end of the week! They've got to say something when they patrol for hours at a time! – B

_Haha, apparently James was sent off to patrol a different corridor after about ten minutes last night, she said he was annoying her – B_

Really? She kept that one quiet! – B

_Well, you were in an exceptionally bad mood last night – S_

True – B

Lily and I hadn't really said much when we got ready for bed, she quizzed Alice on her day and I thought I saw a "don't ask Billie anything, she won't answer. Oh, ok then." look pass between them, but the night's patrol hadn't been a topic we'd discussed, I didn't consider that Lily and James might have been as bored and lonely as I was.

Lily and James, that's a thought that's been hovering somewhere at the back of my mind waving frantically for me to notice it and pay it some attention. I really think they could do it this year, fall in love and all that, because, although James acts immature he has grown up the most out of us all. All I think they need is a little push, off a cliff. I need to run some ideas by Moony, although he says he's not into dating he's a total guru on the subject.

**7:00pm**

I caught up with Lily properly at dinner time when I sat in between her and Sirius, not forcing her to sit next to James as I usually do.

"What's up?" She asked, concerned when we'd both filled out plates.

"I'm sorry, I was a right selfish bitch last night, it didn't occur to me that you might not have been having the time of your life either." I personally thought that was a brilliant apology so I was a bit confused when relief and humour flooded Lily's green eyes and she began to laugh.

"Is that all?" She asked, ignoring the quizzical looks coming from James.

"Well, yeah, I realised that I might have upset you a bit." I admitted, slightly embarrassed now.

"Well, how ever many hours it was patrolling the same corridor alone wasn't amazing, but I wasn't bothered that much – I chose to be alone." She smiled warmly.

"I had I crap night!" James interrupted loudly, causing us all to laugh, even Lily.

"Why was that dear?" Moony asked mildly.

"Because, because I was sent away!" He mock pouted.

"Who would do such a thing?!" Lily asked rolling her eyes.

"Someone very cruel to my poor heart." Remus and Lily actually groaned here. I think my best friend and my brother are in for an interesting patrol tonight.

"Wait! Billie! Check the notice board will you." James grinned knowingly 20 minutes later when I rose to leave.

"OK, I will, night all." I gave each of my favourite guys a hug before heading back up to the common room with Lily.

**8:00pm**

Quidditch tryouts, this Saturday, that's what James wanted me to look at. I have always made the Quidditch team, ever since second year I have held my position as chaser in the team – the best chaser in the team as James calls me. I don't want to sound big headed but I know I'm good at quidditch, it's the one thing I know I can do, even with my eyes closed (I tried that once and still scored). Last year, in total, I put 231 quaffles through those three hoops and I'm pretty certain I could do better if I make the team this year. I'll ask James to practise with me tomorrow. You know it's weird, but quidditch is the only thing my parents have ever really praised me for, I remember the first match I ever played without James there, I scored twice (I was only seven!) and they were so proud, they bought me a big ice cream on the way home.

**9:00pm**

I'm bored, let's have a list of my favourite quidditch moments:

**1 - My Gryffindor Debut.**

I remember this one very clearly, it was a horrid day, gales were blowing, rain was pouring and I think our captain, Emily Gill (she was legendary) wanted to call the match off because I think she had an image of James or I being blown off our brooms, a consequence of a strong gust. But the game went on and I scored more times then any other chaser had on their debut according to McGonagall. There was one hell of a party that night.

**2- My First Quidditch Match.**

The one when after I got ice cream, it was so worth training with that horrible coach for the lovely frozen chocolaty taste.

**3 – The One That "Gave James A Heart Attack".**

This, I did last year, we were ahead by about 200 points and I knew James had seen the snitch several times but was just letting us rack up as many points as we could, so I figured that the game needed a little spicing up so when I was sure Hufflepuff weren't going to score I fake fell off my broom, performing a rather authentic scream and twisting my body into an awkward position when I hit the ground. I had to really bite my lip to stop myself from laughing when the whole ground when silent and the commentator's voice rang out "What – What's happened to Billie Potter?!" At these words, I imagine James speeding down towards me as he landed with an impressive _zzip_ a few seconds later and heard his frantic voice in my ear, the rest of the team landing a few seconds later. They all jumped about a foot into the air when I snapped open my eyes and went RAAAARRR, then collapsed back down in a fit of laughter at James' white as a sheet face, unable to stop until he pulled me up and started shouting.

"YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A BLOODY HEART ATTACK!" He yelled, the white merging with red. To this I could only start laughing again.

"What is going on?!" Madam Hooch demanded to know when she reached us.

"She has just pretended to fall of her broom!" James cried, still in a state of shock. Other members of the team were starting to see the funny side of the situation now and small giggles were escaping from their lips. Madam Hooch glared at us.

"May we return to play now? Stop all this immaturity?" I received a week's detention for my 'immaturity' it was worth it though, nearly giving James that heart attack.

**4 – The One When Malfoy Got His Nose Broken.**

This one makes me laugh just thinking about it. It happened in the cup final of fifth year, our beater back then, Simon Hodge, noticed Malfoy poking fun at James so from about fifty feet up, and from behind the stands so no one could see him, he aimed the bludger right at Lucius Malfoy's nose. Boy that was a great shot, the look on the git's face as he saw the large grapefruit-sized ball shooting straight towards his nose was priceless and the crunch it made as it smashed his nose, although sickening, brought great satisfaction. Nowadays, just to let the legacy that was Simon Hodge I make a habit of making loud crunching sounds with whatever I've got handy whenever Malfoy walks past – you should see him cringe.

**5 – The One With All The Dancing.**

This one was four years ago, our captain decided to jiggle the team around a bit so we were having trouble gelling properly and were struggling as a result, after reading a rather inspirational book about a quidditch legend I decided that what our team really needed was something that would make people laugh, make us laugh, make the other team take a step back and make us feel more confident. The conclusion? To have someone call time out and then do a huge stupid dance. And that's exactly what we did, before the dance we played mainly defensively, then James got Madam Hooch to blow the whistle and I cued Sirius to start playing line dancing music and forty foot in the air we did a cowboy dance. It worked though, all the Gryffindor and Hufflepuffs joined in and Ravenclaw just hovered there, looking befuddled and calling to start playing again. We all got a huge adrenalin rush and we went on to win the match and all the ones after it. Good idea, right?!

**6 – The One When James Tricked Snape.**

This happened in fourth year, when enmity between James and Snape was reaching its peak. I only saw half of it but I was filled in after, Snape saw the snitch first and chased after it but James saw him, accelerated and drew level with him, apparently, after that Snape made a snatch for the snitch but stopped as it disappeared before his eyes. Just for a laugh, James stopped to, looking around with a fake expression of bewilderment playing on his face. He allowed Snape to search for another minute before laughing and revealing the snitch, which he had snatched so quickly from in front of Snape's face he hadn't seen, clasped in his hand. I daresay Lily was NOT impressed.

I suppose every quidditch match I've played meant something to me as I'm sure it does to the rest of the team. Being up in the air, zooming around at god knows what speeds, scoring goals in full view of the crowds. I love it, with ever fibre of my being and it's almost top of the things I could never give up voluntarily (the joint first before that are being a Marauder and being best mates with Lily, then quidditch, then honeydukes chocolate). Hah, I'm such a saddo!

Seeya.

**11:59pm**

Sudden thought! We've got Prof. Jubential tomorrow! Do think Lily and Alice will be slightly annoyed if I wake them up by jumping on the bed? Let's see!

_[me jumping on bed loudly]_

_Lily: Billie? It's 12am what the HELL are you doing?!_

_Alice: [yawns] Wha-? _

_Me: WE'VE GOT PROFESSOR JUBENTIAL TOMORROW!!_

_Lily: [mad] Is that what you woke us up to say?_

_Me: Yeah!_

_Alice: [laughs] Billie!_

_Lily: Seriously Alice! Don't encourage her! She'll be asking to come and sleep with us in a minute, saying she's had a nightmare!_

_Me: Good idea!_

_Lily and Alice: NO!_

_Me: Damn._

Yeah, I guess they were pretty annoyed.

_Me: [quietly] Lily?_

_Lily: What?!_

_Me: Oh, nothing._

_[A minute's pause]_

_Me: Lily flower?_

_Lily: WHAT?!_

_Me: Sssssh! You'll wake Alice up silly!_

_Lily: [grumbles and rolls over] Go to sleep._

_[Another minute's pause, I crawl over to Lily's bed quietly and get in with her]_

_Lily: Agh! Billie! GO TO SLEEP NOW!_

_Me: I can't!_

_Lily: Why?!_

_Me: I've had a nightmare – can I sleep with you?_

_[Lily, pushes me off the bed and says that if I get back or are not silent until half seven this morning she will curse me into next week]_

_Me: Lily, I'm going to annoy James!_

_Lily: Fine, whatever._

Be right back!

* * *

A/N: Ooooh, what havoc will Billie cause in the early hours off the morning, simply because she's hyper and she daren't annoy Lily?

**Get clicking that green button like there's no tomorrow! (just, er, don't click it too much or your computer might break, ok?) **


	6. Slight Crisis

A/N: Here we have the next entry in Billie's diary and to be honest guys, I'm really not sure about this one so I'll probably end up rewriting it at a later date. Big thanks to all those who put the story on story alert, gimme a shout too if you like :). Although I'm not enjoying this chapter (well, i like the Billie/James twin stupidness at the end) I hope you guys will! Enjoy and R+R!

* * *

**Sept 11****th**

**Slight Crisis**

**9:30am**

Help! I'm stuck in a slight crisis. It's nine in the morning and usually I would still be in a drowsy state yet I'm alert and far too awake, which as a start is a bad sign, and because at the moment I feel the events of last night and this morning far more important than the equations we should be solving right now, Professor Martins can stuff it, Arithmacy is pips anyway. See, in this very diary it states quite clearly that last night, at about one in the morning I headed off into the boys' dorm, which to my recollection is correct, problem is, I can't remember anything after that, especially anything that would lead me to end up sharing a bed with Sirius for the night! He woke me up at about six, sitting up in his bed which we appeared to be sharing and leaning over me, the ugly faces on his weird sisters' t-shirt just visible. Then he told me to skip off back to my bed so he didn't get in to trouble. I can remember the ambivalent look on his face, just visible in the half light, and when I asked he just shrugged, which just made me feel even more confused! I can't even talk to Lily or Moony!

**12:00pm**

Sir isn't here for this period according to Professor McGonagall and I think we're all pretty gutted, I certainly am, I really needed something to cheer me up, Lily's been pestering me pretty much all morning, demanding to know the reason behind my "faraway looks", ditto to James and Remus and to top it all of nicely Sirius has been giving me the weirdest glances all lesson, but I think I'd know if we'd done anything super bad. Wouldn't I?

**5:00pm**

It's all sorted. Thank God. Just before the end of our first lesson of DADA a small note landed on my desk, it's still in my pocket now I think, that read:

_Sorry Bills. Come for a stroll at lunch and I'll explain? – S_

I felt like I had just witnessed two miracles! 1) Sirius Black apologised for something. 2) Sirius Black hasn't demanded that a girl come walking with him (although I bet there are few that would say no anyway).

Ok – B

Was all I scribbled back, there was no point questioning him then, he wouldn't of replied

When the bell rang I got up from my desk at my normal pace and telling a rather confused Lily that I wouldn't be joining her until later, I'm not completely heartless, I did feel a pang of guilt when my mind's eye showed me her sitting on her own with my brother, at least Remus will be there to sedate him slightly, and sped off to meet Sirius just outside the door. He smiled slightly when he saw me and gestured his head towards the open doors at the end of the corridor. It seemed summer was still battling bravely against the eventual cold so the sun was still shining at it was quite warm out.

"So?" I asked gingerly when we were out of earshot of all the staring people on their way to lunch.

"So." Sirius didn't think I saw him gulp, I was beginning to feel insanely nervous.

"I was promised an explanation of why I ended up in your bed this morning and am currently unable to remember a thing about the incident." I pushed, Sirius didn't seem as happy to spit whatever this was out as I hoped he would be.

"Yeah." He shrugged, "I guess you were."

"Well am I going to receive that explanation?"

"Yeah."

"Now?" I was beginning to feel a little annoyed with Pads' unwillingness to cooperate, he offered to explain so why was he putting it off?! Unless . . . "It wasn't . . . that bad was it?"

Sirius shot me a look that would make an onlooker guess that I had just insulted him.

"Billie!" He stopped and locked his eyes onto mine, "I have utmost respect for you, and James! I wouldn't even . . ."

"Ok." I interrupted, suddenly taking a dislike to the way this conversation was going, we were heading into dangerous waters and I can't say I felt completely comfortable with it.

"I'm sorry. All this suspense, it must be driving you mad." Sirius snorted lightly at this, "It's not even something that bad!"

"Well what is it then! If it's not bad then just tell me! I'm pretty damn hungry!" I grinned as I felt something in the air lighten.

"Last night you came into our dorm, started jumping on all the beds, James was pretty annoyed," Sirius laughed properly at the memory, "They all told me it was my job to make you leave but really I couldn't be bothered so you just stayed in my bed." He stopped and his eyes scanned my face worriedly before I burst out laughing.

"That was it?! I've been worrying ALL MORNING just because you were a lazy sod?!" It took a few moments for Sirius to see the funny side but soon his face split into a wide grin too.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Oh you jerk!" I hit him on the shoulder rolling my eyes, "May we go eat now?"

"We may." Something in Sirius' face shifted and he gestured for me to go back through the doors first, which I did. "You know, I don't understand why you're so damn skinny, what with the amount you shovel into your gob."

"What do you mean?! Are you saying I deserve to be fat?!"

"Yeah! You should be morbidly obese, and should be booked in for a liposuction but in the meantime are using your flab to cook chips in." he did a bad impression of a fat 'me' but it cracked us both up anyway.

"Cheers Sirius, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself." I joked, "It's not like you don't eat loads too!"

"True. But I'm allowed, 'cos I'm not a stick insect, I'm buff." To emphasise his point Sirius flexed his muscles.

"Yeah, but that's only because you were built that way, I play waaaaay more sport than you." I insisted, "Come here." I reached up to see how much muscle his arms really did have when a squeaky, yet nasal voice made us jump about a foot into the air.

"Potter? Oh, Hey Siri!" Sarah Freeth, I remember the sheer delight I felt at her and her friends' presence in the corridor . . . Not. Looking back, it's quite amusing how she spat out my name then caressed Padfoot's, but mind you, it would've looked pretty bad, us both stood alone in the middle of a corridor, me feeling the "best looking guy in school's" muscles. Thankfully, they hate me.

"What? Oh, hey." Sirius cast me a quick "bloody hell, Billie HELP" look that reminded me of the promise that I made to him and my brother which was to do my absolute best to get them as far away from those girls as possible, so I gave him a quick nod and started to think.

"So, what you doing?" Sarah asked flicking her hair over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes like crazy.

"We were just off to lunch. Weren't we Bills?" He replied coolly, nudging me in the ribs slightly with his elbow.

"Yeah, we were and," I looked down at my wrist at an invisible watch, "We'd better be going _quickly _because the guys will be wondering where we are." Sirius nodded in agreement, a sly smile playing on his lips at my excuse.

"Oh." The girls' faces fell, "Well, I guess we'll be seeing you around Siri?" One at the back tittered.

"Yeah." With that he grabbed my wrist and dragged me down the corridor making sure that they weren't following us before rolling his grey eyes and exclaiming:

"Not. On. My. Life!"

"Ugh, I loathe them, they're so fake – it's sick!" I really do, they're so disgusting!

"I know!" He frowned, "They're delusional! I'm glad you're not like that Ducky. Nice watch by the way." He snorted,

"Billie! And I know, you owe me!" We had reached the great hall now and could see a small group of seventeen year olds sat at the end of the Gryffindor table, one of them, with very red hair talking very passionately about something. "What's she saying, I wonder?" I laughed, James, Remus and Peter were sat watching her talk, Remus looking thoughtful, Peter looking completely lost and James looking at Lily like she was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen in his life. They were all laughing by the time we reached them.

"What's so funny?" I asked once sat down.

"Lily was just telling us about something that happened in muggle news recently." Moony explained.

"Which was?" Sirius asked, taking James' sandwich and stuffing half off it in his mouth before James could react.

"Some people were having a weight watchers meeting and they all sat down then fell through the floor." Lily giggled her "Lily giggle" (so unique I decided to give it it's own name).

"Whoa! What's weight watchers?" Pads asked.

"It's where fat people go to lose weight – god, even _I _know that!" I teased, then Sirius burst into absolute hysterics, banging his fists on the table and howling with mirth.

"P-P-PETER!" He shrieked tears pouring down his face. "That's where you're going if you steal any more of Moony's chocolate when you think we're not looking!" Peter went slightly red.

The rest of lunch passed quite quickly, with pretty much pointless conversation, every getting on just fine, even James and Lils.

After lunch we had the amazing Prof. Jubential (the Jubemaster?) and we spent pretty much the whole lesson deciding "secret codenames" for our stealth and secrecy project, sir says that because pretty much all of us in the class want to be aurors we might as well get a head start on the stuff we're going to be tested on. In his words exactly:

"I think, in fact, I know, because I am, well, awesome, that pretty much all off you are wanting to be aurors when you leave school so I reckon, although you've had six years of really, really crap teachers, we can just cram in a load of revision in the month before your NEWTs and just do some auror stuff for now?"

That statement was followed by:

"Boys, put them away before someone gets hurt . . . mentally." Sirius and James had each taken a sausage from dinner, given it a huge moustache with black marker pen and named it Carlos and Benjeffries the thirty second. "I'm not joking, I will have nightmares about Spanish sausages for weeks . . . hah, that's quite fun to say, Spanish sausages, Spanish sausages, Spanish sausages, Spanissh sausages, Sspanish sausages, Sanish sausages, Sanish sposages, Sanish Sposh – aww I give in."

Hah, I love Sir. But yeah, he insisted we all have code names.

Sirius: Carlos (because of the sausage)

James: Benjeffries (because of the sausage)

Remus: Fruit Loop (because Sir heard Pads, sorry _Carlos_, call him it and thought it was "ADORABLE!!")

Peter: Donutman (because when he was asked what he liked in the first lesson he replied "Donuts")

Lily: Tiger (RAAAAAAR) (because she has orange hair and that makes her a tiger Lily – I thought of that one!)

Me: DUCKY! (because _Carlos _suggested it _didn't he_)

Sir: The Jubemaster (Lily suggested this, it was chosen because of its stupidity, I sometimes wonder how that girl get Os!)

The rest of the lesson was spent discussing why secrecy and stealth are important in dark wizard catching. And would you believe it, they really are!

Ugh, I have Astronomy in 5 hours, I know it seems like ages and no doubt with the amount of homework I have to wade through. Grrr, at least now I've got Sirius to help, he wouldn't usually but I reminded him/threatened him with the fact that I saved his precious arse from a gang of slags at lunch and that I could easily just abandon him in the future.

I'd better crack on with these essays. I'll write later.

**11:30pm**

Just got back from Astronomy, James and I have just made complete idiots of ourselves. When we got there we were told to partner off and for some unknown reason James gave me a nudge and grinned saying that he wanted to be my partner, I have no idea why, I'm pretty pants and so is he, but a bit of family bonding shouldn't do either of us any harm. So we paired off and sprawled out on the floor spreading our star charts out in front of us.

"I really don't get this." James frowned a few minutes after we'd been given a "stern" look and had to stop talking and start trying to put this chart together. I glanced over at the nearest pair's chart, it was nearly done.

"Neither do I!" I frowned back, "It's different than up there."

"Pssst!" James called with a wary glance at Professor Hector, "Fruit Loop!!" Remus looked around laughing from a joke he and Lily had been sharing and gave us a questioning look.

"We don't get it!" I whispered over, looking down at the parchment which was completely blank bar a few ink splodges. Lily laughed then craned her neck to see our work.

"You've got it upside down!" She laughed quietly whilst James and I let out a long understanding Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, then we got told to shut up again.

The scene twenty minutes later:

"Billie, what are you doing?" James asks looking horrified at the doodles all over my side of the chart.

"Oh, I got bored – sorry." I reach for my wand to erase my drawings.

"Wait! What are they?" He points at a little drawing of three stars with elf ears, little hats, elf costumes and microphones.

"Errrr, Snap, Crackle and Pop stars. You know! Off Rice-"

"Crispies, yes I am familiar with those elves."

"Yeah but they're-"

"Singing, yes."

"And that makes them-"

"Pop stars, yes. Billie, tell me, what are they?" He points to a group of stars, each doing the same hand gesture, wearing baseball caps and chains.

"Gangstas." I whisper beginning to feel a laugh building up inside me.

"And . . ." He points to a star with a large pair of boobs.

"I don't think you need me to tell you what kind of star that is James!"

With that we both burst out laughing, James just managed to vanish my doodles before sir saw them. I think it would have been worth risking it to see the look on Professor Hector's face, the guy lives in some kind of alternate universe where everybody wants to marry and have several children with the stars.

It's been a pretty mad day, and I think I'm just about ready to drop, so I'm going to curl up in my OWN bed and hope I stay there!

G'night.

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A/N: So what did you think? Did it work? Have I butchered the characters? What can I do so I like it better? Help! You know the only way to help me with this is to click the magic button and answer some of these questions - so go, now, you won't regret it!


	7. A dream? I wish

A/N: Ok, I should probably start by saying sorry. I has taken me FOREVER to write this chapter, forever and a day even. I wouldn't be surprised is most of the people who actually do read this have given up by now. Excuses time: I had three choir concerts, two badminton matches, a week of Beauty and the Beast (school show) performances, all finishing at half ten, friends birthdays, assessments and, most importantly I had NO IDEA how to write this chapter! Finally though, with help from the two C's: Coldplay and chocolate, I got this sorted. I'm still not sure if I like it, I'm not sure if you will like it, I really just let Billie do what she wanted with this one! BUT enjoy and reviews will make me work faster than Coldplay and chocolate ever can ;)

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**14****th**** Sept**

**A dream? I wish.**

**7:00am**

Woke up half an hour ago, feeling slightly sick, today's the day of our quidditch team's tryouts and for the first time in about five years I'm actually nervous about it! See, last year and all the ones before it I had James to share my anxiety with but since he's been made captain he's guaranteed a place in the team and has nothing to worry about except picking the best players and I know James, he will demand the best from his team, anything short of excellence today and he won't even consider you. I'm guessing that he'll be even harsher on me because he's knows what I'm capable of and he'll easily be able to tell if I'm slacking off – which sucks really.

**1:00pm**

I don't believe this. I really don't.

James has had us working like dogs for the past 6 hours (minus an hour for lunch), no joke, even Lily, who usually enjoys watching us slave away, left at lunchtime due to a mixture of boredom and, well, boredom.

It all kicked off about 8am when thirty of us, all smartly dressed in our quidditch robes, arrived down at the pitch to face a scarily business-like James.

"Right." He barked, immediately silencing the group of giggling girls stood right behind me. "Let's start off with a good 5 laps around the pitch." Many of the people who hadn't been in the team before or had never seen a Gryffindor Quidditch practise reached for their brooms and those who had were groaning in dismay, when James said do five laps he meant on foot. Me? I wasn't fussed, I usually run ten every morning in the holidays. Forty five rather sweaty minutes later all of us had finished our laps, I was second back (second to James, of course, in a time of 15minutes), he made us line up and went along the line throwing an occasional thumbs up at the people who ran well. He passed me without a glance – which, I'll admit did irk me a little, a gave Lily and Remus, who were sat up in the stands , a long withered look to which they both laughed, irking me a little more. THEN, the girls who were stood behind me at the beginning we now to my left and when James passed they all giggled a high pitched, irksome, giggle. It's quite safe to say that by the end of the laps I was feeling very irked.

Then, James made us to five laps flying as high as we dared, as fast as we could. To the people in last year's team this was what only could be described as game on. Us previous reds shot up, me leaning out a hand to hi five Remus' outstretched one and briefly question where Sirius was before ascending almost vertically up into the fluffy clouds that were still here from summer. We flew higher and higher easily leaving everyone behind, most had started their laps down at hoop level, they really didn't know what they were missing, it was beautiful above the clouds similar to what Lily had told me looking out of a window in an aeroplane was like.

"Billie! Come down you are far too high!" I heard James call partly in anger, partly in worry, "What am I going to tell mum if you fall off up there?!"

"Surely you'd catch me!" I laughed zooming a little higher.

"Billie get down now." James went for the solemn scare but after 16 years of threats and death glares from him the effect was wearing off.

"C'mon James you're supposed to be the fun one!" I taunted rising steadily higher.

"Billie if you don't come here now I'll disqualify you and you won't be on the team." My initial reaction was: damn, I didn't expect him to pull that low card! But as I joined his side, frowning at his triumphant grin, I realised:

"You need me on this team more than I need to be on it!"

"Don't be ridiculous there's a lot of talent here today." The look on James' face was priceless, a mixture of "crap I'm busted" and utter incredulousness.

"Which tryouts are you at?! The only talent on the pitch is that off last year's team, and you know it!" I snorted.

"Billie, as you're not captain I don't think it's your call to make statements like that."

"James, c'mon, I was only trying to help!" His face softened suddenly and he pulled me into a brotherly hug.

"I know Bills, I'm just SO stressed! Then I saw you up there and had an awful image of falling and being dead – my little sister." A struggled away from him and cuffed him lightly on the shoulder.

"Gerroff you pansy!" I laughed as we both descended to the grass, receiving wary looks from the rest of the students.

"Next!" James edged slightly away from the group of giggling girls who had somehow managed to kind of half circle him each batting their eyelashes and twirling their hair. "Chasers, I want you to get into pair and we'll have a rotating two on two game playing as chasers. Go!" James half ran over to me, niftily dodging the girls who stood in his way.

"C'mon then!" I laughed as we took to the air, James throwing the quaffle to me lazily, jumping when I pelted it back as hard as I could.

"You're not even a chaser!" I laughed as he attempted the throw the ball back as hard as I did.

"Odd numbers." He grinned.

"Suuure."

"Wha-? Billie!" I heard him laugh as I darted off to find a team for us to play. I soon found one, Samantha "Sammie" Wills and John "Stony" Stone, Sam grinned at me as I drew up next to her and Stony gave his usual polite nod, true, John did have a pretty withheld personality but he's the best male chaser in the school.

"What can I do for you Bills?" Sammie winked, elbowing Stony when he tutted.

"Well, I was wondering if . . ." I began in mock nervousness, "If . . ."

"You want to play us?" John completely ruined the joke, "Sure, you with James?" His question was answered when the said twin flew over, looking a little red in the face, it was obvious he had just spotted Lily.

"Well this will be interesting." James nodded as he saw the people I had picked to play.

"Sure will." Sammie laughed her cheeky laugh before stopping dead. "Is that Lily Evans over there?!" Even John cracked one of his rare smiles as James' head spun involuntarily.

"Shut up Wills, or might just not let you back in the team again . . ."

Our game was over pretty quickly, James, although a seeker, still pretty nifty with a quaffle, with us winning 3-2. James now needing to take a wander round and have a look at who was best so he could make the team, he sent me off to talk to Lily and Remus OR Tiger and Fruit Loop as I'm supposed to call them though we've all forgotten.

"Hi darling." Lily tapped the seat next to her and handed me a water bottle as I slumped down next to her, sweating like crazy.

"Hi darling." Remus copied with a grin, laughing when Lily lent over to hit him.

"Hey darlings." I passed the now empty bottle back.

"You ok? You look kinda . . . droopy." Lily looked at me carefully as Remus scanned the pitch.

"I'm fine, any competition?" I directed my gaze to where Remus was looking, to Sammie and John's next game; they looked to be winning easily.

"Nah, Sammie and John but you knew about that." Remus shrugged, "You and James had a good match a couple of minutes ago."

"Yeah, he's really good." Lily added, not quite realising what she said before it was too late.

"HE?!" I burst.

"What? Oh. Right, I meant you both were." Lily attempted to cover up my tracks.

"Whatever. You've been watching my brother!" I laughed, Lily Evans, the girl who would "rather go out with the Giant Squid" than my brother was watching him and noticing how "good" he was.

"What! Don't be stupid Billie, I was NOT 'watching' your brother, I was watching the ball."

"Sure. What is it today? The leather quidditch robes? He's been watching you."

"Tiger? I don't think so, he was watching me! I did my hair especially, do you think he noticed?" Moony played his part as the peacekeeper perfectly yet again, making us laugh so much we forgot what we were talking about.

"You know Fruit Loop? I wouldn't be surprised if you sat on the other side of the bus." Lily laughed in between gasps. Instead of being affronted, Moony just winked, making us laugh even more until a very serious (NO PUN) thought came into my head.

"Speaking of gay, where's Carlos?"

Fruit Loop frowned.

"In the library with Ruby Donalds." Tiger frowned.

"He traded watching me play for that slag?!!" I asked outraged, weren't his best friends more important? "I bet they're not studying." I reached for the water again, not realising it was empty, a sudden, very unpleasant taste in my mouth.

"He'll come later." Remus promised tapping my head until I shook him off.

"He'd bet-"

"OH I JUST REMEMBERED!" Lily shouted rummaging in her bag and pulling out a rather battered camera.

"Lily? Wha-?" I only just had the time to ask before she pulled me and Remus into the picture and giving us only a split second to smile before the thing flashed.

"I'm making a seventh year scrapbook." She stated proudly.

"I . . . um . . . that's nice." I frowned, I guessed this was just Lily's "thing" of the year, last year it was knitting and the year before baking, neither of those really went well for her! At least we won't all be receiving a knobbly woolly jumper for Christmas (or ROCK cakes), I think James has mine – or stole mine – he said he "liked the smell". I don't think I'm going to ask for it back in any hurry.

"Well, it's better for you guys at least you won't be re-" Lily began in earnest.

"BILLIE! 'STIME TO REGROUP!" James' voice boomed from the other side of the pitch, slightly hoarse after all the shouting he'd already done.

"Sorry, guys." I called as I flew off, guiltily glad I didn't have to listen to Lily's scrapbook speech.

"Right listen up folks, I've seen some good players up these last couple of games, I want beaters up next: I've set of a little obstacle course for you guys." We looked up, James' obstacle course couldn't be described as little, there would have to be some very fit players to get through this one, I reckoned only last years team would get through it in a decent time, meaning, in the world of quidditch, under 3 mins and 15 seconds. "The rest of you can you take a seat up in the stands – Bills, I want your help with this one." A few of the girls shot me fouls looks as they went to sit down - slags.

From up in the air the course looked even harder, I considered the line up of boys about to face it and picked favourites in my head, as I knew the other pointing players were doing in the stands below. I only knew one of their first names: Martin Goldburg the remaining one of our two last year's beaters, he was tall and brazen, the leather of his uniform highlighting all the killer muscles in chest and arms, he made the boy next to him look like a fool. He was small, pink and a little plump, I noticed him swallow when Martin flexed him muscles and cracked his fingers next to him, which was just typical, although he knows he's god of the beater's bat Goldsburg still uses distraction techniques to put the other players off guard or in a state of mind he chose. Next to the pink kid was an extremely lanky boy, who's glasses kept falling towards the end of his nose, he honestly looked like he had been put on a rack and stretched and stretched. Apparently he was only third year but he was easily taller than Sirius who is the tallest in our year. Next to him there was a slight red headed boy who despite being tiny had a steely look of determination in his eyes. Next along from him was seemingly another, Martin, though a few inches shorter, they were of the same build even looked a bit alike.

"Right guys. The rules here are simple." James told the would-be beaters, "Get through the course as fast and as skilfully as you can." And then with a grin directed to Martin and then to me he added, "You, know guys, show off a little."

Martin was first up, he rounded the first sharp bend that James had created with apparent ease until he hit a wall of highly pressurised air and a bludger was released. With a powerful back hand swing Martin sent the ball off, perpendicular to the next turn, which was ok, he was safe for the moment but now the bludger would be attacking from behind.

"Idiot." I heard James whisper, so low that the wind he had created to make the task more difficult nearly took it away. Before a "why?" could formulate on my tongue I saw exactly what made Martin a complete and utter idiot. I had recognised that the bludger would now be zooming in from behind and so it did, speeding so fast it was a mere blur of black to our eyes. _Oh god, he's not going to realise! _ Was my thought at that moment, the ball was now barely inches from his head when he ducked, bowing his head neatly so the bludger flew right over it and smashed into the nearest stadium, a collective sigh if relief echoed throughout the stadium and a distinctive cry of "C'MON MARTIN!" erupted from the "other Martin". With an unshiftable grin now on his face, Goldsburg raced through the rest of the course with a pretty darn good time of 2 mins and 56 seconds (James did want to mark down in mintues, seconds and hundredths of seconds but I told him not to be an idiot all his life).

The pink boy went next, he flew quite well but after Martin he didn't look anywhere near as good as he could have done, he came in at 3 mins and 31 seconds. After him, the lanky one, who looked to have put a spell on his glasses to keep them up, he wasn't as fast as either of the first two but his aim and strength was spot on: on one turn he swung the bludger into the stands and the ball actually smashed, he came in in 3 minutes and 47 seconds, which for a third year is pretty fantastic. Next, the determined red-head: he flew fast but wasn't as skilled as the others, he missed a couple of shots and went wide around most of his corners, banging into the walls, he got 3 mins and 23 seconds. And lastly, the "other Martin" he was the one who left us speechless. With a time of 2 mins and 49 seconds he was easily the best out there, I was surprised to find that Martin didn't care, clapping and cheering the loudest when the boy had done. Every corner, every hit, every dodge was spot on, I think only James and I could have done better, I'm certain he's made the team.

By this time it was about lunchtime and to avoid distractions from other houses (guess which one in particular) James decided to let us go have lunch/take showers, so I sped off to Lily and Remus who looked sincerely relieved about being able to leave.

"All done now?" I swear I saw Lily cross her fingers.

"For me it is. Not for the poor goal keepers and their friends." I sighed, accepting another bottle of water from Lily, drinking half and throwing the rest over my head. "Hey guys, I'll meet you in the hall, save me a sandwich and tell that Sirius Black he'd better run.

After the shower I went to the great hall, drying my hair with my wand as I went.

"Hey dear, I got you . . ." Lily stopped talking when she saw the murderous look on my face directed only at Sirius.

"I'm sorry." He cast a worried glance at Moony.

"No Sirius, I wasn't joking when I told you to run." I read his thoughts as I always do.

"Billie, I really am sorry, I didn't think it mattered that much to you all. I just thought . . ."

"Thought what Pads?! That you'd go have a shag in the library rather than supporting your best friends?" I roared.

"Billie, sit down." Lily demanded.

"What?! No – I-"

"Billie! SIT DOWN!"

"You know, it's not even the fact that you didn't come to watch it's the fact that you decided to spend the time with a girl who was one of the gang I had to save you from not three days ago!" I was pulled into my seat by Remus. "I just thought you were a bit better a friend than that Black." The atmosphere at the table stiffened, true, it was a pretty low card I played, calling him by his last name when I know he hates it, he hates any part of him being connected to that awful family. Sirius' eyes narrowed then the silence snapped.

"So I make one little mistake and the world ends does it? Does it Billie?! I ASKED James if he would mind me missing the first half and guess what he said?" Sirius practically snarled.

"James isn't your only friend Sirius! I'm all too aware that you like him better – hey, EVERYONE does – but you always hid it the worst." This was a full blown argument now, I was starving but all the food lay forgotten.

"I never had you down as jealous Potter, it's a shame – are you feeling a little sad of living in your big brother's shadow – STILL."

"SIRIUS!" Moony thundered, at a volume I didn't think he was capable of. People were looking now, if they weren't before. "That is way below the belt. I suggest you both apologise."

He knows we're both to proud to.

"No. No! Why should I!" He cried indignantly.

"You know why!" Lily spoke for the first time, giving Sirius the deepest look of loathing, one that could have rivalled the ones she used to give James.

"Why is everyone taking her side? I tried to apologise but no, she still has to continue with the: hey BLACK I thought you were a better friend than that. Blah blah bull-"

"Is everything ok here?" A sharp voice stopped Sirius in his tracks. Professor McGonagall.

"Yes Professor." Lily spoke for us in monotone, giving Sirius one last cold look and dragging me out of the great hall and up to the common room, me catching a long look of confusion from Peter, I hadn't noticed but he'd probably been wearing it the whole time.

Now, I'm sprawled across my bed with only the one hanging open, the one by my headboard that looks out onto the quidditch pitch. I can hear Lily scratching away an essay judging by the speed, I'm guessing it's the potions one as she's not turning any book pages either. I'm going to try and sleep, maybe I'll wake up and this whole arguing thing will have just been a dream.

**3:00pm**

Hah. A dream, I wish.

**5:00pm**

I've just had to have a "chat" about what happened at lunch time with McGonagall. Sirius didn't. Of course he didn't! I had to answer stupid questions like: "What triggered your little spat at lunch time?" and "I heard your brother being mentioned, is there something wrong at home?" and one fantastically observant statement which was: "You don't want to talk about it do you?". Well, no professor! It's not like the answers to all your questions were: "Dunno." or "Ask Sirius.". We finished our cosy chat with:

"Billie, I am asking because I care about the students in my house. Have a biscuit."

I'm not going down to dinner. If he thinks he's going to get that kind of satisfaction from me, he's wrong. Instead I've decided to lay out on my bed, write this and stare at that ginger newt biscuit. I'm tempted to enchant Sirius' face onto it then smash it into a pulp but

a) that is childish

b) it will get loads of little crumbs in my bed so I wont be able to sleep

c) I'm hungry

I did forget to eat my sandwich at dinner. I think instead I'll eat the biscuit but pretend it's Sirius and crunch it really hard.

**5:01pm**

I JUST BIT MY SODDING TONGUE! I HATE SIRIUS BLACK!

**11:00pm**

My tongue still hurts. And I'm lonely and bored, because Lily's on patrol. And I AM a loner. And I miss Lily. And my hand's tired of writing. And My body's tired of flying. But my mind won't rest. I think it's time to dig out my portable wizarding wireless and find the "Noooonnnn – Stooppp Weeeiirrdddd Ssiiiissssterrrsss" channel. I won't write anymore. I think.

**12:00am**

_I hate you more than goblins and their ears, _

_More than acidic dragon tears,_

_More than a gnome with a beard,_

_Hey, for a wizard you're weird._

I actually love the Weird Sisters.

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A/N: what did you think of my spur-of-the-moment lyrics at the end? I'm sure the weird sisters have a much better lyricist than I'll ever be but at least Billie still has a little faith left in her favourite band. R (the button's not green anymore but you should still click it!)


	8. The Everlasting Cheer

A/N:Hey guys. Another apology, I didn't realise I hadn't posted this *whoops*. Enjoy!

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**15****th**** Sept**

**The Everlasting Cheer**

**7:00am**

What am I doing? It's just dawned on me that it is 7 in the morning. And it's Sunday. And I'm up, showered and literate. I never thought it possible.

I love Lily Evans.

Last night, when she heard me writing again, she crawled into my bed, not saying anything, because, she knew I didn't want to talk. I don't want to talk, really. We just both laid there listening to the radio, both cracking a small smile every time the over the top cheesy adverts came on. She must have stayed up until I drowsed off because when I woke up this morning she was back in her bed and I didn't remember her leaving.

I really can't believe Sirius would say such a thing. We've always had childish fights, we're both naturally angry people, although that sounds terrible, it's just who we are, but I didn't think he'd stoop that low, especially after the huge heart to heart we had one day during the holidays after I had got the blame, once again, for something James had done. Back then, he had comforted me, told me he knew exactly what it was like to be the second best child and I had never felt so . . . ok about the whole situation, I had Padfoot, he understood, I didn't think he'd use the information to hurt me in the future. It's not fair. Remus and Peter are hardly going to leave Sirius' side, especially if James doesn't say anything to support me, which I would be surprised if he did. It's just, everyone knows he's better than me, it never bothered me, at first he was just the smart twin but now he's the smart twin, the good-looking twin, the funny twin, the sporty twin, the list is endless, I'm sick of being constantly drowned by his shadow, a plant can't grow in the shade of another, that's why seeds are thrown so far away from the parent plant – but it's impossible with us and I guess I'll just always have to be the smaller one that's growth is stunted by the other.

Ugh. It's too early for that crap. I'm going for a walk.

**8:30am**

A shiny piece of parchment has been pinned up on the decidedly empty notice board naming all those on the Gryffindor quidditch team.

James Potter

Billie Potter.

John Stone.

Samantha Wills.

Martin Goldsburg.

Peter Goldsburg.

(They're BROTHERS! That's why they look alike!)

Emmeline Vance.

A female goalie? I can't wait 'til our next practice so I can see her in action.

On my walk I bumped into Professor Jubential, he looked bright and cheery as always. Even at half eight.

"Hey, Ducky, you're up early?" He greeted as we both came to a halt to talk to each other.

"Miracles happen." I smiled slightly lamely.

"Are you ok? I heard a small bit of the tiff you and Carlos had at lunch yesterday, you both sure do have a pair of lungs on you."

I laughed.

"Not really sir. I hate his guts, if I saw him right now, I would break his pretty face but he's not around so I'm safe for a while." There was a pause when I wondered whether I'd said too much and he was angry with me but when he cracked a huge smile after now obviously trying to keep a straight face.

"I know just how you feel you know. Back in the day when I was here-"

"Back in the day? Sir you're like what? 18?" I interrupted jokingly.

"22 actually." He sniffed. "ANYWAY, when I was here- no jokes let me finish- my best friend was the biggest ass to walk the earth. We used to have tonnes of arguments, just ask Albus, or Minerva! But he was still my best mate. Somehow." He exhaled almost angrily through his nose. "Why don't you come for a cup of tea and we'll talk . . . if you want to that is?" He must have notice the slight hesitation I showed, was it wrong to talk to anyone but Lily? "I truly don't think Lily would mind." A wry smile twisted on his lips as my jaw dropped slightly in shock that he had guessed.

Sir's office was a spitting image of the Gryffindor common room, it had a centrepiece fire, two cosy chairs, one of which was the bed of a very fluffy tabby cat, red curtains, a desk with numerous papers and quills strewn over the top and a staircase leading up to a wide open door through which I could see a large four poster bed and a jaw dropping amount of bedtime reading. He gestured to one of the chairs by the fire and moved the purring cat onto his lap so he could sit down opposite me.

"So what started this whole thing yesterday?" He asked calmly, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face and burying his other hand in his now purring cat's fur.

I sighed deeply; it seemed so childish now, so avoidable.

"Well, it was Quidditch try outs yesterday . . ."

"I saw, you were really good – you get in?" I tried not to blush a little when I replied:

"Err, yeah – yeah I did." Sir congratulated me then after another little pause I continued.

"Well, Sirius didn't show up . . . instead he decided to spend the morning in the library with . . . someone . . . and because quidditch is among the few things that actually matter to me I thought he'd at least come . . . even if it was just for James!" Sir's face was a cross between confused, and slightly worried.

"So you had a word at lunch?"

"A few words . . ." I admitted, slightly embarrassed.

"Right. And I can imagine he apologised but didn't apologise and that riled you up even more?"

"He didn't think it mattered." I grumbled sourly.

"And then I'm guessing one of you pulled a low card on the other." He stated gravely.

"I called him by his last name. I know he hates it, it was deliberate and childish but I think what he said was worse." I looked up at sir to try and judge his emotions and to see if he had even caught half the words I had garbled out.

"And what did he say?" There came the eventual reply.

"He said that he'd never had me down as jealous . . . and he asked if I was getting sick of living in my brother's shadow still." The Professor's eyes widen in shock and disgust.

"Why? Why would he say that?"

"Because he knows it's true and he knows it hurts." I whispered, starting to feel the same angry twisting in my stomach as I did last night.

"Is that the problem then? The real problem?" He asked, stroking his cat less and less.

"No, well, yes, but it's separate . . ."

"Well, is it the "someone" he was with? Were you-?"

"Jealous?" I laughed. "No, whoever wants the idiot can have him."

"So you don't have feelings for him?"

"Merlin, no! He's a brother, nothing else." I said certainly and I wasn't lying.

"Ok, Billie, I suggest you apologise for calling him 'Black' and he will apologise back. I've seen you guys – you're the closest group of friends I think I've ever seen. If he doesn't then come and see me, but if I were in his shoes when I was at school, with my friends . . . I would have already apologised."

**10:30am**

I've been trying to figure out the best way to apologise without seeming weak or needy.

At breakfast I sat where I usually would, in between Lily and Remus, opposite James, Sirius didn't turn up. It was uneasy to say the least, James and I talked a little about this year's Quidditch season, apparently Emmeline is a really good, fearless goal keeper, though apparently ridiculously excitable, and she should fit right in with the team. After both had eaten Lily and James excused themselves for a "Head meeting" the confused look on Remus' face and the constantly confused look on Peter's told me that they didn't know what was going on either.

"They're probably off kissing somewhere in a closet." Peter giggled, picking at his nails.

"Somehow I doubt it Pete." I watched them leave, already engaged in conversation.

"Well then what would they be talking about?" Peter asked but to deaf ears Remus must have seen my glum expression because he comforted.

"He was in a really bad state last night; let's just say James wasn't very happy with him after he heard what he'd said."

"So I caused an argument between them too?" anger flared again, I suddenly felt like there was nothing I could do right.

"No, Billie, that's not what I said. James just told him . . ."

"Told him what?" I demanded.

"That he was a stupid, childish, disloyal boy and that if he ever said anything like that to you ever again then he would sure know about it because he knew you had confided in him and he couldn't believe he would spit that trust back in your face, that you were one of the only people he could fully trust and that he knew you were a good enough person to keep his secrets so why couldn't he keep yours?" Peter piped up looking rather proud with himself for remembering it all, "Oh! And what was that word Remus? He called him it a lot?"

"Errrrr . . . nothing." Moony scraped his feet along the floor giving Peter a 'shut up NOW' look. I didn't push for the word in all honesty, I felt a little sick; James had stuck up for me after all.

"Fruit loop what should I do?" I moaned, burying my head in my hands and beginning to hate the way events had played out.

"When the time's right you'll both apologise and everything will be ok." He answered calmly.

That was well over an hour ago, I've relocated to the common room and have finally finished my homework, Lily and my brother still aren't back – oh, speak of the devils –

**12:00pm**

They have been plotting! Plotting what I don't know but they've obviously been plotting something. But neither Lily nor James will tell me a thing even though I've told my brother I won't thank him for what he said to Sirius until he tells me he (responded with something witty like: "Well, I know you are grateful because you were PLANNING on thanking me.")

Idiot.

Lily just smiled serenely when all this was going on. It's not right! Lily HATES James and James annoys Lily! If Dumbledore had some kind of master plan when he put then both together as head boy and girl it was working! Lily is currently correcting all my homework for me, tutting every time she found a mistake. My hands are tired of writing now. I think I'll write later but probably only if something incredibly exciting happens.

**10:00pm**

I am so unbelievably happy/excited, I am almost too excited to write and the party hasn't even started properly yet! To explain:

Dinner started pretty much the same as breakfast, except Sirius was there making conversation even more strained and non existent. Then, when all the plates were cleared Dumbledore stood up, he doesn't usually at normal meals so we knew something big was on its way.

"Good evening everybody." He began in his clear, calm, speaking to an audience voice, " I hope you have all enjoyed your meals and are enjoying the remainder of the summer weather," he gestured up at the ceiling, past the hundreds of floating candles, to the clear night sky, "I understand that over the past week our four Quidditch captains, Mr Malfoy, Slytherin, Mr Harrison, Ravenclaw, Mr Diggory," A few Hufflepuff students whooped and a few girls whistled, "Hufflepuff and, of course, Mr Potter . . ." Even Dumbledore himself couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face as the Gryffindor table burst to uproar and James turned slightly red, "who is in Gryffindor, in case any of you hadn't guessed, have been selecting who will be in their teams for this year, and I'm sure notices, if they haven't already, will be put up in your houses to give you the names. During the last few years I have seen some remarkably talented Quidditch, especially between the teams picked last year, and due to this I have decided to enter just one house team, the proven best team, into this year's junior Quidditch Euro Championships where they will represent not only the school but England itself."

I wish I had a mirror because the look on my face would have been priceless! I can only imagine it looked pretty similar to James', we are twins, his jaw had dropped spectacularly, eyes widening behind his glasses, then a huge, childish grin swept across his face and he threw out a hand for me to hi-five.

"Billie!" Samantha called from further down the table, grinning manically, past her, the Goldsburg brothers were giving James the thumbs up and John was smiling slightly with contained happiness. Emmeline, however, looked the most excited of all of us, she had thrown her head back in a loud: (as close as I can get to the actual sound in writing) "YAAAAYAYAYAYAYAYYAAAYAYAYAAAYAYAYAAAAAAAYYYY!". Even after most people had stopped cheering and chattering excitedly, she was still screaming at the top of her voice in an everlasting cheer, James wasn't joking when he said she was overly excited. All I can say is that she's going to be a very _interesting _new member of the team . . . Tearing my gaze from the Gryffindors I scanned the rest of the hall, the Hufflepuffs looked as happy as us, though they weren't showing it as loudly, Amos Diggory was waving and smiling, rather handsomely, I suppose, I remember Lily telling me that she once had a rather large crush on him at the end of third year, just as James began his long annoyance of chasing her around. On the table behind him, the Ravenclaw one, Daniel Harrison, a boy in my year with a mop of light brown hair and an extraordinarily broken nose (courtesy of Martin, last year) was sat smiling demurely as were pretty much all the Ravenclaws who weren't talking, they're a bit weird, if I'm honest, those Ravenclaws. It was the Slytherins that made me laugh, they weren't cheering, or laughing, hell nobody had even cracked a smile! Instead, they were sat scowling at all the other houses, us especially, because, undeniably, we are the best, all their team (which just so happens to be mostly huge, brainless seventh years, except Regulus, Sirius' ex-brother, he's a skinny little runt, and Malfoy, what a slimy git) had gathered in a huddle and were glaring like demons. Finally, when all the hubbub had died down Dumbledore spoke again.

"Due to some extreme persuasion on my part, we, here at Hogwarts have the luxury of hosting the entire event here, with the final match being played on last year's official world cup stadium- THIS MEANS," The professor cut across the talking just ready to break out again, "That teams from countries all over Europe and some very important ministry officials will be either staying within the grounds or coming and going nearly all year so all our students MUST be on their best behaviour." A very pointed glance was aimed in our direction and a rumble of laughter rolled down the table as we drew halos of yellow light with our wands just above each other's heads. Dumbledore chuckled, his beard shaking as it wasn't tucked into his belt as it usually is. "Good, well, in that case, I can imagine you already have wild visions of the parties you are no doubt going to be holding tonight so I suggest you go and make a lot of noise, and as usual, a great deal of mess. Toodle Pip!"

Suddenly, hundreds of students were racing towards the door, I almost lost Lily in the stampede but then James did the stupidest thing. Somehow, he had managed to speed ahead of the crowd and before any of us could get out of the door he stopped us all with an ear-splitting cry of "HAAALLLTT!". The teachers that were exiting through the side door that eventually led to the staff room stooped dead, puzzled looks on their faces.

"What on earth are we planning to achieve here people? Right, if we could, let's have an orderly clump for each house, Huffers you guys go first." James pointed at the yellows and merely laughed at those who objected. "Just shut up and do it guys, I am in far too much of an exuberant mood to listen to any of you. Prefects? Come on my bitches, help me with this one!" To all of our surprise the students actually started to do just as James had asked I heard a muffled snicker from just over my shoulder.

"He should NOT have called the Prefects bitches." Lily couldn't help giggling at the situation but only sighed exasperatedly when James winked at her as we left.

"Oi! Billie, grab us some drink!" James called, throwing the cloak over to me, "Get the map of Moonboy."

"Alright." I called back over the swarms already behind us.

I found "Moonboy" helping Sirius and Wormy set up a huge magical sound system in the common room.

"Whoa!" Lily half scolded, "What do you think this is?"

"Well," Sirius began leaning back against the hunk of black speaker, "We are simply acting on Dumbledore's orders, this is the great deal of noise . . ."

"And I'm guessing James has sent you to get some mess." Remus grinned as he threw me the map. I pretended not to notice Sirius scowl a little.

"Yup."

"Remus! You're supposed to be the sensible one!" Lily frowned as someone put up a huge banner reading 'gryffy's are gods' and clenched her hands into fists to stop herself for reaching up and tearing it down.

"Lily! We're not breaking rules!" He objected not looking up from the wires he was connecting.

"Billie will be if she goes to Hogsmede to get booze." Lily's hands were actually on her hips now.

"Would it make you feel better if I went instead of _Billie_?" Sirius injected in the conversation, his voice unnecessarily venomous.

"It's alright, I'm _fine_. Besides, you can't do the pocket expansion spell." I turned to leave an angry looking Lily, a murderous Sirius, a frowning Fruit Loop and a confused looking Peter.

I hate to say it, and I know what I said kinda went against what the Jubemaster told me to do but I felt quite smug, the spell was always something I had to do for the boys as although three of them were animaguses they had yet to master an undetectable expansion charm! The trip to Hogsmede was easy, Rosmarta is never really bothered if we take a crate or two from the back as long as we pay her eventually . . . which is never. By the time I got back Lily had been defeated and was residing in a chair in the corner with a book, the sound system had been set up and the music shook the portrait hole so much as I came through I thought the castle was under siege! James and Sirius had pushed all the sofas and chairs to the sides and had created a nice little dance floor with the added effect of magically enhanced flashing red and gold lights. I suddenly felt very proud to be Gryffindor.

"Hey, hey, hey, here's the booze folks!" James called, pulling me into a hug after I had shed the cloak and dumped the crate on the floor.

"Alright Mr Cheerful." I laughed releasing myself from him.

"WHOAA!" James cried as some third years started to open some butterbeer, "I said the booze is here, not drink it! Party starts at eleven, go bog off for a while and NO BOOZE 'til we get back. Or you face the wrath of both me and the Head Girl." James nodded over to the corner where, at her mention, Lily looked up and gave James a murderous look that clearly read: "Leave me alone _Potter_". "See what I mean, scary!" James grabbed Moony and together they set of to the kitchens to get munchies. Sirius, giving me one pointed look, marched out after them but I wasn't childish enough to follow, so I came up to the Dormitory to write this down, because, frankly, tonight, I am going to go party and have fun and not let him spoil it for me, afterall, _I'm _the one that's actually on the team!

Auf Wiedersein. It's 11 and I'm of to dance!

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A/N: REVIEW! You know you want to!


	9. The Day After no1

A/N: There you go. Two chappies in a day! Please enjoy :) I'm going to start making the Marauders more fun in the upcoming chapters but you'll have to review to look forward to that :L

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**16****th**** Sept**

**The Day After Number One**

**12:00pm**

My head hurts, it's far too bright in here for people who drunk excessive amounts of firewhiskey into the early hours of the morning. To be honest I can't remember much of the night I definitely, definitely tripped over once, possibly twice, I have a long red mark running down one elbow. I also know that I danced with Sammie because I remember her telling me that we were going to have our work cut out this year, with James as captain, she also said something about a bet about who the next girl Sirius would kiss would be (her) I can't remember if I bet or not. After that I'm pretty sure I was told to DJ for a while as James wanted to get Lily on her feet (he did . . . but she disappeared as soon as his back was turned), it was quite fun for a while, swapping all Sirius' favourite songs for my own, though he guessed when a muggle band came on and ran back to commandeer the system, scowling at me when he realised I'd locked it until all the songs had been played. No-one on the dance floor even noticed! Then, I grabbed Lily and spent a while making sure she was ok, together we unglued Alice's lips from Frank's and dragged her off to dance with us for a bit. Much, much later on, we were told:

"It's two o'clock in the morning! You all that are in Fifth Year and below GET TO BED!" McGonagall turned her gaze to a tipsy James, "They better not have had any alchohol."

"No-hic-pe," James smiled, "The alcholohol has been kept very close to my heart." The Professor suppressed a smile with a thin lipped glare to all the younger students trying to buy time, they scurried off, like rabbits.

"Hm, well, as long as you keep it down I don't suppose I can do anything to stop you staying up though you do have lessons tomorrow!" She sniffed backing out of the room before James and Sirius came and hugged her or something. She wasn't quick enough and the final departure was punctured with cries of "BOYS! GET OFF ME OR I WILL NOT LET GRYFFINDOR COMPETE THIS YEAR!" (they dropped her soon enough after that).

I think it was just after that that I danced with Sammie for the second time. She staggered over a lot more drunkenly than she had earlier and told me that she thought John looked "sooo sexy" and that she was going to go ask him out. I told her not to bother 'til the morning and won despite her insisting that he wouldn't look as sexy in the morning. I think Sammie and Stony might just be one of those "fated couples" here at Hogwarts like Frank and Alice, that was always destined and Lily and James that's so going to happen this year, I don't care if we have to push them towards each other with red-hot pokers just to get them to touch!

When all the non-Marauders bar Lily had clambered and crawled off also, it was James' bright idea to have a round of spin the bottle. As if by magic it landed on me first.

"Ok, I have one," Sirus began smirking-

"No! I spun I get to choose!" Peter interjected, seizing the bottle from Padfoot and tossing it form hand to hand. "I got one! Bills? You listening, truth."

I moaned drunkenly, I hated truth at least with dares if what you did got spread around you could say: "Oh, I was dared."

"WAIT!" Lily cried, "We need rules!" There was a murmur of agreement and a chuckle from Remus. "I think neither James nor Billie can be naked or have to do stuff with each other because that's wrong and you should have a right to refuse anything."

"Alright, alright! Can we just play now?" Peter was anxious to worm whatever his question was out of me. "Ok. Billie?"

"What?" I mumbled.

"Will I ever get a girlfriend?"

James and Sirius began roaring with laughter, the first stopping quickly after a warning look from Lily.

"Erm, I dunno-"

"This has to be the truth Billie." Sirius was on the verge of wetting himself again but had stopped to speak coldly to me.

"Eff off it is the truth. I think you will one day Pete." I smiled as warmly as you can when you're on the edge of being utterly bludgered. "Right! My spin!" This time it landed on Lily – I think we all knew what the dare was going to be before I even said it.

"Billie. No!" She wailed, pleading.

"Go on Lily what's the worst that could happen?" Remus interjected gesturing to a slightly blushing James.

"She might like it that's the worst that could happen." Sirius smirked. Lily glared at him then without any warning, reached out and grabbed James, locking lips with him briefly before releasing him and sticking her fingers up at Sirius, something she'd never do if she was sober. We all clapped and wooped then turned to look at James he just giggled slightly and grinned sheepishly. Lily spun the bottle wildly beaming when she saw it had landed on Sirius.

"Truth." She stated.

"Bring it on." He shot back.

"You ever been in love?"

"Yeah."

"What?" James and Moony cried shooting incredulous looks at Sirius.

"Unrequited, she, nor everyone else ever knew." He explained, giving us all a look that simply _dared_ us to ask more questions. "My spin I think." He continued when no-one did. For the second time of the night it landed on me.

"Kiss me." Sirius stated. I actually thought he was joking.

"Funny." I replied, "Come on, a proper dare."

"That is the dare." He replied, almost emotionlessly, certainly with no emotion in his eyes.

"No." I replied.

"Why not, if it was Moony you would, Pete you would . . ."

"Because you're an asshole."

"I know I work hard on it."

"Don't be a prick. If we were friends then maybe but we're not so stuff it." I tried to take the bottle off him but I refused to let go, he pulled me closer to him and I caught the wary expressions of Moony and James as I was moved past them. Sirius stopped pulling when we were close enough to kiss and as I leaned in his eyes closed. Instead of kissing him as he expected I brushed my lips across his cheek and whispered the word _man-whore _in his ear before pulling myself away and sitting where I was in the circle wanting to laugh at the fury in his eyes when he opened them.

"I'll take that as I pass then Billie." He passed the bottle across from James moodily then leaned back against the stereo system with his arms crossed, not speaking for the rest of the night.

I think after that we must have opened another bottle of wine because I can't remember much except, Lily trying to do a cartwheel but falling over mid-spin and smashing into a table and James saying _EXACTLY _what he would like to do to "that Amos Diggory" if he got through and Gryffindor didn't (it involved being trampled on by hippogriffs, having his man bits chopped off and feeding them to a venomous tentacula and having to go on a date with moaning myrtle).

**11:00pm**

James surprised me today by plonking himself next to me on the common room couch and asking if I would take a walk with him.

"It's nice out today." He commented loosely as we stepped out into the fresh sunlight.

"Yeah, it is I guess." I agreed, secretly wishing I'd put a jumper on.

"I'm well excited for this Quidditch Tourney, we're going to show that Diggory how it's done."

"You really dislike him." I noticed.

"Who? Diggory? Well . . ." James trailed off, ruffling his hair.

"It couldn't be because I went out with Lily last year could it? And they had a rather spectacular kiss at the end of one quidditch game?" I couldn't help laughing as James knuckles tightened and he frowned behind his glasses. He muttered something about "not being that childish". "Anyway, you got your kiss last night." I laughed, recalling the stupid beam his face split into just after Lily had completed her dare.

"I what?" James asked, stopping dead and casting an semi-dark look at all the fourth years that began to chunter as they moved around us.

"You got kissed by Lily last night." I remember thinking what a ridiculous and awkward situation would occur if he didn't remember, I was certain Lily would.

"I WHAT?" The fourth years spun back around, confusion and _stay away from him he's cuckoo _looks were set on their faces.

"We were playing dares-"

"Oh yeah," James made a strange 'aahaaaa' laughing sound, "Peter asked you-"

"-Yeah. Then I spun and it landed on Lily-"

"-No way! She wouldn't-"

"-She did, Sirius wound her up so she-"

"-Was it like a proper-?"

"-Short and sweet-"

"-Bugger-"

"-Then she swore at-"

"-Bugger-"

"—Sirius, what?"

"I washed my face this morning!"

I couldn't help but laugh, my poor, poor twin. The only time he will probably ever get to kiss his beloved and he's too drunk to remember!

"Weren't you dared to kiss someone?" James asked, looking annoyed at himself.

"Yeah." I replied sourly.

"Uhoh. Who did you have to kiss?" James was close to laughing, repressing a smile by biting on the inside of his lip.

"Sirius."

"Ah." James' face fell immediately, this whole situation must be really hard on him, his twin and his best friend, whose friendship he always took for granted, had fallen out leaving him as the central pillar to hold the Marauders up. "Billie . . . that was something I wanted to talk to you about." A ridiculous fear gripped my chest, this was it, he was going to say "You're not a Marauder anymore, got hang out with Lily and you can just be my sister instead of my friend." Of course, James wouldn't say anything like that instead he asked: "Are you two properly not friends? Or is this an over the top tiff like the ones you've always had?"

There was a long pause.

Too long.

"I don't know." Was my truthful answer; James knew me well enough to realise what I wanted to say was: "I hope so. I miss him . . . but not 'til he apologises."

In all honesty, I do miss Padfoot. His jokes, his ability to bring a downer on anything, the way he smiles when we use our ability to stop him feeling so glum and though I love arguing with him, watching him get mad and seeing what he'll do next, I'd rather just be his friend.

"It'll all work out ok." James pulled me into a hug when we reached the birch tree we had all shared so many memories underneath.

"I know." I hugged back.

"Billie?" He spoke quietly.

"Yeah?"

"We're twins."

"I know –I worked that out sixteen years ago dear."

"Shurrup. You know what I mean." We started walking back towards the castle as jumper-less little me was starting to get melon-sized goose bumps.

"Sorry, I don't can you spell it out for me?"

"We're twins so we're the same – equal – everybody thinks the same of you as the do of me." James gave me a . . . secure . . . look.

"Did Lily tell you to say that?" I asked not even bothering to hide the grin I was wearing.

"Yeah." He smiled ashamedly back and I swatted him over the head.

"Well, thank you _anyway_."

The rest of the way back up to the common room was all meaningless chatter, Quidditch chatter mostly, when we got back to the common room James spotted Lily in a corner and beckoned her over, moving to a corner of the room where nobody could hear their conversation. I, however, can lip read fairly well and their conversation went something like this:

_James: You KISSED me!_

_Lily: When? [She had her arms tucked around her defensively, a contrast to James' open stance as he was trying to get her to open up]_

_James: Last night, when we played dares._

_Lily: Potter, it didn't mean anything._

_James: Why am I Potter now? _

_Lily: [shrugs]_

_James: You're getting on the defensive! Why?_

_Lily: Because you're being quite demanding! It was just a dare._

_James: Of course it was "just a dare" but that wouldn't have stopped you from enjoying it._

Feel that burn Lily.

_Lily: You've come over here to ask if I enjoyed kissing you, drunk, and forced into it?_

_James: Ah, but it only sounds bad when you say it that way._

_Lily: But that's what you're asking right?_

_James: Yeah, yeah it is! I think you did!_

_Lily: Actually JAMES I can't really remember, I was drunk and my brain ends to discard all the useless memories that mean nothing to me._

_James: Don't mean anything to you? That's rubbish!._

_Lily: It can't of meant much to you if you didn't remember it either!_

Feel that burn James.

_James: What? I wish I had! I was caned out of my mind last night! You KNOW I was!_

_Lily: For somebody who drunk so much you seem to be remarkably hangover-less._

_James: Hangover potion. Come on! I thought that was your area of expertise._

_Lily: Let's not talk about areas of expertise because yours certainly isn't kissing!_

_James: What? Whoa! Wait! So you DO remember then!_

_Lily: No._

_James: You do!_

_Lily: Potter. I know the thought pleases you but that kiss truly meant nothing to me and I'd appreciate it if you dropped the subject . . . NOW. _

_James: Fine whatever Lily-flower._

_Lily: *sighs* Meet me here for patrol. Be late and your checking the broom cupboards!_

And with that the pair walked away from each other in completely opposite directions. I grinned at my brother and he winked and raced up the stairs, no doubt to tell Moony that he did, indeed kiss his Evans. I went and sat next to Lily.

"Hey?" I asked when she didn't look up.

"Your brother." Was all she replied, bending her head even further into the book she was reading.

"You kissed him!" I defended.

"You dared me!" She cried, her slightly crazed eyes meeting mine for the first time.

"And you did it, so you deserve a pat on the back." I attempted at diplomacy.

"I didn't enjoy it. You know, just for the record." She hid behind her book again.

"Yeah. I know."

"You need to get the rest of your essays done." She stated, nodding towards the winding staircase that would lead me up to our dorm and my essays.

"Buh-but I've done all the ones due in for tomorrow!" I had to admit I was thoroughly repulsed but the idea.

"Yes, so do the ones for Tuesday so you wont have to work your ass off tomorrow night!"

"Only if you do too." I whined.

"I already have, now go, or else I won't check them."

I opened my mouth to say that Moony would.

"And neither will Remus." _Damn._

My mouth opened again.

"Or James!" _Damn!_

So I have spent the rest of the night doing stupid Herbology essays (we got three) I don't even know why I took Herbology! The name Tentacula doesn't make me laugh anymore which makes the whole course seem pointless too me!

I'm extremely tired now, considering the time I drifted off last night . . . this morning (whoops) I think I deserve a reward for staying up this late!

Anyhoo, goodnight.

**11:42pm**

Just a thought:

Nobody went to lesson today in our year! Let's see how big a grilling we get for that tomorrow!

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A/N: Hope you liked it. A little L/J :D Review! Now! :) (not to be pushy or anything but REVIEW!)


	10. A Break In?

A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Like 3 months :S and if you can actually remember what has happened in the story here's chapter 10!

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**17****th**** Sept**

**A Break In?**

**9:25am**

Just been to breakfast and I've got about ten minutes before I get a detention for being late to Herbology so I thought I'd find a nice comfy crevice (there are loads set into the walls here at Hoggywarts) and tell you about the "grilling" we got at breakfast.

It was all pretty normal to be honest, well, to start with. I overslept as usual and raced down to meet Lily and the boys and have some breakfast when I noticed that my two friends groups weren't sat together as they usually were so I'm guessing that Lily and James had a rough patrol last night. I sat down and remembering how guilty I had felt I asked her what was up straight away.

"What happened?"

"Oh, what?" She asked, looking up from the book she was reading whilst eating her cereal. We ducked as the post arrived.

"Don't we usually sit with that lot?" I gestured up to James who was engaged in a violent tussle with Peter over the last sausage.

"Yeah. You can if you want. I'm fine." Her green eyes looked a little glum.

"Lily! What's up! Is it me, my brother, patrol, monthly problems? What?"

"You brother." She stopped eating and started stirring the congealed cereal around her bowl.

"What happened?"

"He just would NOT shut up about that dare!" She muttered furiously, a shade of red flashing across her cheeks.

"What did you do?" I had to ask.

"I sent him to a different part of the school." She laughed lightly at her solution, "Can't bug me when he's two floors up and in a different wing can he?"

"_No siree._" I replied accioing the less handled pieces of meat onto my plate.

"Just for the record, I definitely did not enjoy that kiss." She insisted, making eye contact for the first time in the conversation.

"As you keep saying." I smirked, Lily was about to defend herself when Professor McGonagall stood up and clinked her spoon against her cup gaining all our attention immediately. I think we were all hoping for some good news about the Quidditch tournament but none came.

"Yesterday, as it was a Monday, all students should have attended all their lessons as usual, whether they had a party or not!" A MNDL was shot around the room. "Almost everybody, bar two students, in sixth and seventh year simply skived of lessons all day! Now, Professor Dumbledore-"

"Professor Dumbledore!" I heard James call out from up the table, "Who's he!"

"-Never heard of him!" Sirius added.

"Why, if I ever met a man called Dumbledore I would have to laugh!" My brother continued in his loud voice usually only reserved for Quidditch and jokes like this.

"Especially if he had a beard."

"A long one."

"Down to the floor."

"Hey, if he tucked it into his belt I'd be in hysterics wouldn't you Pads?"

"I would indeed Prongs old fella."

"POTTER! BLACK! I SUGGEST THAT YOU START SHOWING SOME MORE RESPECT OR ELSE MR POTTER YOU WON'T BE LEADING ANY TEAM THIS YEAR!" The head of our house screamed.

"He's supposed to be head boy!" Lily muttered angrily, glaring up the table as my twin tried valiantly not to laugh. "She's just threatened to take his captaincy off him and all he can do is suppress a laugh?"

"Dumbledore doesn't seem too bothered though does he?" And he didn't, whilst Prof. McGonagall was a violent shade of red with anger he simply laid back a little in his chair, chuckling to himself and folding his hands over his stomach contentedly. Lily just shook her head.

Minnie went on to say how for every student who didn't show up to lessons yesterday, 10 house points will be deducted. Many faces dropped in horror as the few gems that had been gained flew swiftly away leaving each house at 0. Luckily, because of our Quidditch advantage, we are usually able to gain any points we loose back – maybe not this year though. Lily shook her head sadly again.

"What? They can't have expected us to show up _really _can they?" I moaned as the last ruby disappeared.

"I did. Remus did – it wasn't that hard." Lily had her prefect face on and I really wasn't going to try and fight this one.

"Yeah."

The rest of breakfast was a little more subdued after that, I simply ate my bacon in silence and Lily continued to stir her cereal.

_Oh! Crap that's the bell! I'd really better run!_

**11:15am**

Charms is a fantastic subject isn't it? You can make things fly, make things silent, louder, smiley. In fact, I think there is a charm for almost everything. But the best thing about charms is that I sit next to Lily and if we ever have to work in a pair we work together, little Mr Flitwick doesn't mind, he's not one to pair you up with somebody you wouldn't want to work with.

"Billie . . . Yep, you'll be working with Sirius this lesson." Professor Sprout read from the list she had. Great . . . I had thought . . . Just pigging great. Sirius made no move to come and join me so I had to go marching over to him. He folded his arms as I reached his side,

"Great." I thought I had heard him mumble. Turns out that that would be the only thing I would hear him say with any relevance to me at all during the lesson. He simply stood there, occasionally doing some work but most of the time standing, looking bored out of his skull in a haughty and pretty damn rude manner. I felt like hitting him. Half way through the hour he just left and went to talk to James! I was too proud to call him back and ask him for help, especially when the plant started dripping venom all over it's pot and the porcelain began to melt. To make matters even better I was wedged in between two Slytherin groups, Avery and Nott and Malfoy and Snape. They kept spreading their equipment all over my desk and swapping bottles from the shelves with mine so if I hadn't of seen them I would have poisoned my plant (and myself). They soon got bored and gave up on their plants, instead going over to the corner of the greenhouse and whispering about something so no-one else could hear. I was naturally quite curious so I snuck up behind them and pretend to search on the shelves for something.

_Avery: Tonight then? _(He was really excited about something)

_Snape: Not so loud idiot! Yes tonight, otherwise why would we be talking about it now? _ (talking about what?)

_Avery: Right, yeah. _

_Malfoy: Remind me what the whole point of this is again . . . _(He, in contrast to the others, sounded bored)

_Avery: We sneak into their Common Room and trash it as quietly as we can before those Gryffindor idiots get there!_

_Nott: Yeah! And if they do then we'll fire those new curses that Sev made up at them._

_Snape: Those curses are only to be used in extreme circumstances, I don't want Potter getting hold of them like he has done all my others._

_Avery: I bet the look on that Mudblood's face will be absolutely priceless!_

I drew my wand and I swear I would have hexed all their laughing faces if Lily herself hadn't of come over and dragged me away.

_Lily: _(When we were back at my place) _What was all that about?_

_Me: They're going to break into the Gryffindor Dorm TONIGHT! _

Lily's reaction was what annoyed me most about Herbology. She raised her eyebrow in they way that a disbelieving mother might do to her child if they ran in and said they had adopted a pet troll and he was living at the bottom of the garden wearing a pink tutu and lipstick. I expected a long sigh to whistle out of her and for her to say something like: "Not now Billie" Or "Don't make up silly stories Billie" – I felt like a little kid.

"Ok. Whatever you say Bills." She shrugged.

"What? You don't believe me? Lily, I just heard them!"

"Ok Billie!" Her eyes widened in a supposedly sincere look. Pah! I knew her better than that!

"You don't believe me!" I stated in shock. Lily, the HEAD GIRL, would not even consider the thought of the security of the Gryffindor house being at risk.

"Never said I didn't." She turned her back on me but I dodged around her (a trick my brother used to use all the time if her wanted to block her path so she had to look at him when he asked her out)

"You never said you did." I countered, Lily let out a long sigh.

"Look, how would they even get through the portrait hole?" She asked. I was stumped for a second.

"They could have stolen the passwords!"

"Billie!" Her red head was tipped slightly to the side with a expression that willed me to see her view. It would have been easier if I wasn't so stubborn.

"I heard them!" I insisted. Her hair flipped as she straightened her head.

"Right, so maybe you did hear them . . . why would you need to hex them?"

_Sugar. Sweet, sweet sugar._

"Err."

"What? C'mon Bills it's not like I'm going to give you a detention!" She laughed humourlessly, intent on knowing why I wanted to hurt the Slytherins.

"Errr . . . just felt like it I guess . . . I mean . . . I was just angry . . . they can't . . ."

"What did they say?" She always manages to hit the nail right on the head Lily does.

"_Mublud." _ I answered quickly trying to get away.

"Mudblood? Me?" All traces of irritation earlier were gone she looked cool and calm. I just nodded. "Billie, I don't care what anybody calls me! I hate them as much as you do but you seriously have to stop this pride crap! You and your brother need to just accept that whatever is said doesn't bother me and not rise instead of trying to kill anybody who says anything bad!"

I nodded again swallowing, the girl scares me sometimes!

"I'll see you in Charms." And with that she flounced off to join Remus who was flicking through a thick textbook his eyes furrowed as they always do when he is concentrating very hard and I returned to my station to find Sirius had completed the work (and by the looks of it claimed all the credit) so for the rest of the lesson I had nothing else to do but slump in my stool in silence.

I was almost late for charms because Professor Green made me stay behind and clean up all the mess because apparently I had done nothing this lesson – when I tried to object I was threatened with a detention, I realised it wasn't worth it, I hate doing detentions alone.

**2:00pm**

I'm am EXHAUSTED! If somebody ever asks me to help them bathe their cat ever again . . . no matter how miserable it's smell is making my life . . . the answer will be no!

Lily and I finished lunch at about twelve-ish, we didn't sit with the boys again though my stupid, but I have to admit lovable, brother did make an upset, frowning face when I gestured that I wouldn't be joining him again and Moony just looked at Sirius then back at me glumly. After lunch, in which Lils and I had nattered about everything and nothing it was the aforementioned red head's plan for us both to head off up to the common room (not the library for once!) and do some of our ever present homework because: "That's what free periods are for Bills". So, as there is really no point arguing with this child, we headed off with me mouthing a "help me!" to Remus who as usual wasn't eating very much and chuckled a reply.

"Right!" Lily had said as we had got settled and unrolled our parchment, "You do the Herbology homework and I'll do the Potions one thenwe can both read each other's and get ideas!"

I snorted: "Like you need help with Herbology Lil." She's easily the best in the class, although James can give her a run for her money with me and Remus not that far behind – oh and Diggory, Diggory's good.

"Just do it." I had half wanted her to disagree with me so I could stall for time but she didn't so I set to work writing about all the work that Sirius hadn't done and I had today, rearranging the pot, trimming the leaves . . . Neither of us saw Stumpy, Lily's faithful cat stalk into the room.

"Eurgh! Billie did you just-?"

"No!"

"Then what in the name of Merlin's beard is that . . . Stumpy there you are!" Lily greeted her pet warmly inviting him up onto her chair and tickling under his chin whilst he purred blissfully.

"I think he might be the source of the smell . . ." Something seriously strong was wafting from that cat.

"Ugh, yeah, he needs a bath pronto." Lily pushed him gently from the chair and in true cat fashion he landed on all four stumpy legs and mewed loudly.

"I suggest now!" Looking back I would have totally chosen the homework.

"Ok, I'll meet you in the girls bathroom in ten, you take stumpy and I'll take shampoo and towels!" Said a suddenly business like Lily.

"Oh, great I get the smelly cat!" It was too late she was already racing up the stairs, "C'mon stinky stumpy."

I bet Lily to the bathrooms by running through the increasingly full corridors brandishing Stumps and shouting: "GANGWAY! GANGWAY! SMELLY CAT COMING THROUGH!" I passed James.

"What the?"

"Don't ask, smelly cat, ugh, smell it," He got a face full of fur then cringed away from it, wrinkling his nose, "See! Smelly, smelly cat. Gotta go, love you!"

"Love you too!" I thought I heard him call to my back as I ran off again.

When I skidded into the bathrooms the always happy face of Moaning Myrtle greeted me.

"Ohhhhh, a visitor, it's not often Myrtle gets visitors." She let out a long wail and I felt the hairs on Stumpy's back prickle up letting out a disgusting been-rolling-in-dragon-turd aroma.

"Yeah." I replied lamely.

"Ohh, a cat . . . I used to have a cat . . . before my DEATH!" She burst into loud tears – I didn't even know ghosts could cry until today!

"Right . . . Well, you could help me and my friend bath it . . . it smell you see . . ." At this the ghost became even more inconsolable.

"IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, I CAN'T FEEL OR SMELL! I'M DEAD!"

"Billie?" Lily burst through the door then sighed with relief when she saw Myrtle dive, screaming, down a toilet. "Don't mind Myrtle she's . . ."

"Dead?"

Lily laughed in spite of herself. "Well, she didn't take to death too well did she!" I joined her, sniggering.

"You'd be a great ghost Lil, The Ginger Goul of Gryffindor!"

"HEY!" She splashed some water from the sink she was filling over to me but missed and got it all over the floor. "Here, I think that should be warm enough for him." I handed her over the cat that I had been clutching and she tried to put it in the water. Tried being the operative word. Tried, because Stumpy did NOT want to go anywhere near that water, he clawed at Lily's robes, clawed for me then, and then, when all was about to fail, he clutched onto the side of the sink with his stumpy legs and would not allow us to move him at all. I couldn't help it, I laughed SO hard.

"S-sorry Lily . . . Your. . . Your cat!" I cried in between cackles.

"Billie! Help!" Lily was trying her best to wrench the cat away, only succeeding in making him dig his claws into the porcelain even more leaving deep grooves. So I did the only thing that would come to me at the time: squirting it with water to shock it then make it fall into the sink.

"Aguamenti!"

"BILLIE!"

To be fair my instinct did get the cat in the water, as the fountain coming from my wand landed on his back he jumped and splashed into the sink firing water and soap suds all over the floor, and all over Lily. Then, of course, in the time it took for Lily to turn and shout at me Stumpy was straight out of the sink and running under the cubicle doors for a place to hide.

"Get him!" I cried, darting round the other side of the row of toilets to catch the cat.

"What if he's fallen in one of the loos?" Lily fretted as she disappeared into a stall trying to chase her cat out.

"There's water in the toilets Lil . . . somehow I don't think he'll be going near the toilets themselves. For a ginger you are so blonde."

Lily's head poked out from around a door, "I am NOT ginger!"

"In fact, for a ginger who is Head Girl and top in our year – you're blonde." I laughed.

"I'm not top in our year." I could picture her blushing as she stuck her head round each door.

"But you are-"

"GOTCHA!" I heard Lily shout triumphantly then march back over to the sink. "Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the . . . WHOA!"

I burst out laughing again. I just couldn't help it. The image of Lily striding over to the sink, an extremely angry looking Stumpy in her arms, then slipping on all the water and soap shall be etched in my memory forever. I laughed so hard that I too slipped and cracked my back on the tiles. Stumpy was still clutched in Lily's arms his dark eyes unnaturally large, half because he was terrified and half because Lily was squeezing him too tight, it reminded me of a spell James had once used on Peter to test, it made his eyes pop out, and then it struck me:

"Lily, how stupid have we been?" I wanted to laugh again but before that I brandished my wand at the cat and "Scourgify!" the poor cat's stinking fur was momentarily covered in pearly pink bubbles then they vanished leaving Stumpy with a silky, shiny coat.

It was agreed that Lily and I are the stupidest of people sometimes.

**11:00pm**

Someone or some people are banging around in the common room, usually, at this time, people are usually in their dorms to avoid the wrath of Lily or now, almost more commonly James, the only people that stay up are the ridiculously studious fifth years but they're respectful and never make this much noise. I'm scared it's the Slytherins.

**11:01pm**

Not scared. Brave. Off to have a look.

**11:45pm**

It was the Slytherins!

I had never found our the stairs up to our dorm creepy before, even when I've been out at night with the boys, now, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and I had to dare myself to breathe - it was worse because I was alone. Finally, after what I can imagine always feels like years, I reached the bottom of the stairs, I made sure I was tucked in the shadows and the stone wall felt like ice through my pyjama top, they couldn't see me but I could see them, Snape, Malfoy, Avery, Nott, _Mulciber_ the whole greasy lot were down there vandalising all the furniture and peoples' work and looking for something:

"Where is it?"

"I don't know! In here!"

"I thought you said you knew where it was!"

"No, I said . . ."

I tiptoed back up the stairs and swung open the door to the boys' dorm, the hinges were squeak free for silent entry and departure – thank Merlin, then raced over to James' bed.

"James! James! Wake up!"

"What is it?" He mumbled, rolling over, his hair, I can assume like mine, crumpled and messed up in a way that would make Lily cringe.

"There are Slytherins in the Common Room!" James gave me a testing look, to see if I was lying or not, then deciding I wasn't he reached under his bed and found the cloak and the map.

"_Lumos." _I whispered and the tip of my wand lit up.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Our map sprung to life, inky lines running like cobwebs over the parchment, and James flipped to the correct fold and found the common room. Sure enough, little black dots were making their way around, the scrolls attached to them reading _Lucius Malfoy _and (I saw James' face darken hugely in the half light) _Severus Snape_. Without a word, he threw the cape over himself and made for the door whispering: "_Get Sirius!_" before the door shut behind him. Trying not to worry, the shouts hadn't started yet, I moved on to Sirius' bed. He looked so scarily peaceful when he slept, it was easy to forget what a spiteful, horrid person he can be. Of course, I could easily remember when I woke him up.

"What do you want?" He half spat, seeming wide awake, unlike James.

"James needs you in the Common room, a bunch of Slytherins have broken in." I shot back.

"Funny."

"I'm not joking, I wouldn't even be talking to you if James hadn't asked." I stated and at this something clicked and he too shot straight out of bed and rushed out of the door. I didn't think it was imperative to wake anyone else up so I raced after him. There was just enough shadow on the stairs to cover both Sirius and I as we waited and watched, the intruders had either left or had cast disillusionment charms on themselves. Thinking this a good idea I cracked Sirius on the head and then repeated the spell on myself to render us both practically invisible. The first jet of light could be seen a few minutes later, a muffled moan could be heard and a body hit the floor. I had a clear idea where whoever it was had landed so I aimed a mental Expelliarmus and a wand flew briefly through the air before landing just at the bottom of the stairs, I felt Sirius move to pick it up. We repeated the process many times, James stunning the Slytherins then Sirius or I disarming them when James decided everyone was out cold he lit the lamps with his wand then pulled the cloak off himself.

"Hide these." He told Sirius, our charms had worn off by now, as had the Slytherins. With a grin I helped my brother gather the bodies into the middle of the room and he was just about to say something when:

"What on Earth?" Lily must have been woken up by the noise, I could have explained but no.

"Ah, Lily, could you go get Minnie for us?" James asked, then gulped as the head girl turned more crimson than her hair.

"Potter. What have you done?"

"Stunned and disarmed all the people that decided they would like to break into our house tonight." He replied simply, "With help from Billie and Sirius of course." I glared at him, although I thought credit was deserved on my part he didn't have to get Lily annoyed with me!

"Billie?" Her gaze was cast to me.

"Yeah. Turns out I did hear them plotting in Herbology." Now Lily turned red for a different reason, she must be embarrassed she didn't believe me.

"Sorry." She bit her lip, "I'll go get Professor McGonagall." I received an apologetic look as she hurried through the portrait hole.

Almost everyone had assembled in the Common room by the time Lily got back with Professor McGonagall, several people were whispering amongst themselves but most were just sat in groups watching the Slytherins, then James, then me, to see who was going to make a move first.

"What? Oh My!" The Professor gasped as everyone parted and the pile of unconscious students was revealed, Lily and surprisingly, Professor Jubential followed just behind. "Somebody please explain!"

"I think Billie probably knows the most?" James thought aloud. Damn him. An MNDL was sent my way.

"Yeah." I agreed rather lamely, almost every pair of eyes in the room was on me.

"Why don't you tell us what happened then?" Sir asked from his crouching position, he was talking the pulses of the Slytherins, he seemed quite calm.

"Err, well I guess it started in Herbology, I heard them," I gestured to the pile, "Talking about how they were planning on breaking in to the Common Room tonight, I tried to tell someone but they didn't believe me, so I didn't tell anyone else . . ." Lily flushed pink, "Then tonight I heard banging at crashing coming from down here and I know that everyone who is up at this time is usually pretty much silent so as not to disturb James' beauty sleep-"

"-Damn right!" A few people laughed, including me.

"So I knew it wasn't anyone from Gryffindor. And then I plucked up the courage to come and have a look and I saw it was them so I went to get James," There was more laughter and I felt myself going a little red, "Which has always been my safety plan, if something goes wrong then I'll get James to fix it!"

"Awwww!" My Brother teased so I stood on his foot and had to bite my tongue to stop myself from sticking it out at him when he winced.

"Anyway, James told me to wake Sirius up, so I did then we came down and cast disillusionment charms on ourselves then James went into the middle of the room and when he saw people move he stunned them then Sirius and I disarmed them."

"Do you have their wands?" the Jubemaster asked. Sirius handed the fistful over looking like he'd much rather snap them in half and let that be that.

"Right." Minnie broke the would be silence briskly, "Professor if you could help me take these students up to Madame Pomfrey and we'll bring them round there-"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be right behind you." He gestured for me to come over and talk to him. "Are you and Sirius ok now?" he asked quietly. I glance over to where he and James are stood, trying to get Lily to hi five them.

"Not a chance." I murmur sadly and I don't think there is, he seems fine, I'm fine despite what everyone seems to think, I don't need to be friends with him to be happy! Sir nods thoughtfully then bids us all good night and follows Minnie and her amazing floating students through the portrait hole just as Lily starts ushering people off to bed and I follow the herd.

I hope there aren't any more interruptions tonight.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed it, I know it's not 3 months worth of writing but I'm starting the next chapter right now and reviews do inspire people to write quicker! Sorry again!


	11. Bit of a Big Word for You?

_A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry, this has taken absolutely forever! i hope that the people still reading this, or trying to, and that you're enjoying it. Apologies for any typos/grammatical errors in advance!_

**18****th**** Sept**

**Bit of a Big Word for You?**

**10:00am**

It seems to be Arithmacy note time again, it's becoming almost a weekly thing:

**Morning – J**

Morning? – B

**Yes, morning! – J**

A little cheerful, you could do to tone it down a little we're in Arithmacy and you're looking happier than Peter at Halloween! – B

**Ooof, someone got out of the wrong side of the bed! –J**

Don't be annoying just because I'm not all smiles and rainbows – B

**You should be smiles and "rainbows" we were awesome last night – J**

Yeah, awesome. – B

**Come on Billie, you have to feel a little proud! You helped to protect the integrity of the Gryffindor Tower! – J**

I didn't do anything! – B

**Yes you did! You were the one that alerted everyone! – J**

Whatever – B

**Well I'm proud of you even if you're not proud of yourself and speaking of last night . . . – J**

What? What information are you after? – B

**Did Lily say anything? – J**

I looked over to where he was sat and he grinned at me. As a matter of fact Lily did say something, while we were getting changed this morning. She mentioned how she thought it was very brave of me to have gone down and checked all alone and wise to not have woken everybody up beforehand in case it WAS nothing. Then she admitted to feeling a little guilty about not believing me at first in Herbology then she said she felt a little disappointed that I got James instead of her, "Not that James didn't do a good job of course, I thought he handled the situation very maturely, no doubt did he want to hex them all but he didn't actually cause anyone any pain, which is good. . .he's actually acting like a head boy should, you know, I never thought it possible with him, I mean, he used to take no regard for anyone's thoughts and feelings or the rules and now he's almost a perfect student, well, despite the fact that he has an ego the size of a quidditch pitch and he really thinks he's funny when he's not . . ." Lily seemed to lose herself in her own little world then turned bright red and raced into the bathroom, and she says she doesn't have feelings for my brother! Yeah, well I can see straight through that one.

Yeah, she thinks I'm brave – B

**Oh, nice – J**

And wise – B

**Right? – J**

And I make her feel guilty – B

**Why? – J**

Because she never believes me - B

**I'm sure that's not true. Did she say anything about me? – J**

Yeah loads – B

I looked over again and saw James' eyes light up before he scribbled a reply.

**Really! What! – J**

I'll tell you if you tell me what your epiphany was – B

**Billie! I can't tell you what it was! – J**

You told Moony! –B

**I could tell Moony he won't object childishly like you would – J**

_I want to know as well – S_

Yeah, you're not in this conversation – B

_I am now, I have as much right to talk to James as you do – S_

I don't care, get your own parchment so I don't have to bother reading whatever crap you want to write – B

_Nah, I'd prefer to use this one thanks, if what I write is unimportant rubbish then I won't waste my parchment when I can use some that's already full of it – S_

If I complained that that hurt I'd be lying – B

_Isn't complained a bit of a big word for you? After all, you're not exactly the best academically – S_

Isn't academically a bit of a big word for you? After all, you did grow up in a family where it doesn't matter if you can talk or not just as long as you'd like to kill the majority of the wizarding population – B

_If you're talking about growing up in the shadows you can't say much, really – S_

Maybe I'm happy with who I am, what people think of me, and I don't need to constantly throw myself around people to feel just a little bit loved – B

_Yes, because everybody loves you Billie, people just fall at your feet, and it's not because your brother is James Potter either – S_

Somebody thinks I'm jealous because I don't need people to like me to be happy? Says a lot – B

_No, what says a lot is how someone will completely fall out with another person because they missed watching them play a game, it's sad really – S_

Because they missed watching one of the few things that's important to that person because they were in a broom cupboard doing god knows what to somebody they hate – B

_Does it really matter if they're a bitch if they have a really hot body? Sorry, but I think you ARE jealous – S_

I am not jealous of Ruby Donalds, she's a stupid whore who has nothing going for her in her life, one day, I'm going to be a Quidditch player, professionally, that, or I'm going to be an Auror and take down all the idiots who thought it might be funny to break into the Gryffindor tower last night – B

_Yeah, like you're good enough to do either – S _

**SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! YOU'RE ARGUING FOR NO REASON AT ALL! SIRIUS, I'M NOT SURE WHEN YOU DECIDED THAT THE WAY YOU WANTED TO SPEND YOUR MORNING WAS TO CRUSH ALL OF MY SISTER'S DREAMS AND MAKE HER FEEL SO BAD ABOUT HERSELF THAT SHE MIGHT AS WELL WANT TO GO THROW HERSELF OFF THE ASRONOMY TOWER BUT I'M TELLING YOU: YOU CAN STOP ****RIGHT NOW**** OR I SWEAR I WON'T TALK TO EITHER OF YOU EVER AGAIN! YOU'RE UPSETTING MOONY, YOU'RE UPSETTING ME AND YOU'RE BOTH UPSETTING EACH OTHER WHY DON'T YOU BOTH JUST GROW UP! AND BILLIE I'M NOT HAPPY WITH YOU EITHER! – J**

**11:10am**

James stormed out of the classroom when the bell went and he hasn't spoken to either of us properly since.

**12:30pm**

After Arithmacy we had DADA. Professor Jubential decided that after the events of last night we'd have a little competition to see who can cast the best disillusionment charm and because we have a two hour block on a Wednesday we had an half an hour of theory, and hour of practical and the last half an hour for the competition. Somehow, I just wasn't excited. The row with Sirius, although I would pretend it hadn't, really, really upset me and what's worse, James was upset with me too.

After the first half an hour I was feeling really ANNOYED. When Sir gave me all that advice and told me he'd try and help Sirius and I become friends again I thought he'd try to be subtle.

"Sometimes it's best to have a FRIEND cast the spell on you someone you can TRUST will be able to check that it's worked properly and if you returned the favour it would be extremely NICE of you."

"Me and my FRIENDS used to play blind man's buff in the corridor and instead of the person who was on being blindfolded, everyone else cast disillusionment charms on themselves. It was so much FUN and even if we had FALLEN OUT with someone by the time the game was over we'd LAUGHED so much we were **BACK FRIENDS!**"

It was actually cringe worthy. I could feel Sirius' eyes burning into my back and I could just picture the glare he was wearing.

Thankfully, oh so thankfully, after theory was over Professor Dumbledore strode into the room and with the usual twinkle in his eye he asked:

"Sorry Professor, could I perhaps borrow three of your students?"

"Yeah sure, who do you want?" He swept his hand across the room.

"The Potters and Miss Evans, perhaps?" The headmaster laughed a little when he saw James and Lily shoot up to attention.

"Oh have them, they're nothing but nuisances anyway!" Sir joked and as the classroom door shut behind us he heard him admit:

"Dumbledore STILL makes me feel like a naughty kid! You should see me in staff meetings; I feel I should be writing lines!"

We travelled a little further up the corridor where we went into an unused classroom and Dumbledore conjured up some squishy red chairs for us to sit on.

"Patriotic sir." James laughed as we sat down.

"Patriotic indeed." The old man chuckled then stopped, "Now, in all seriousness, what happened last night and yesterday morning?" He looked at me over his half moon glasses, knowing I was the one who gave an explanation yesterday. Feeling nervous, I've never really spoken to Dumbledore before unless he was either telling me off or congratulating me briefly, both times I felt embarrassed, I recited what I said last night almost word for word, leaving out the digs on James, and not mentioning the "not believing" conversation I had with Lily. "I see, so if you heard them 'plotting' shall we call it, why did you not report them to Professor Slughorn immediately?" I looked at James and nearly laughed, we both knew the way Professor Slughorn would react if I told him some of his students were planning a malicious attack on Gryffindor, and then I looked at Lily, she was such a brilliant Head Girl, I didn't want to get her into trouble.

"That would be my fault Professor." Lily blushed deeply and bit her lip, "Billie told me as soon as she heard but I didn't believe her . . ."

"Mainly because I was about to hex them for another reason . . ." I covered Lily's back (hopefully).

"So she didn't tell anyone else."

"Not even James?" Dumbledore asked.

"No Professor." James answered. The Headmaster seemed to ponder this for a while before moving on.

"And you all cast disillusionment charms to remain concealed, yes?" James and I nodded. "Can I see that?" I raised my wand to my head and non-verbally cast the spell, it must have worked because I felt the strange sensation, rather like an egg being cracked on your head then all the yolk running down and covering your entire body, and the professor smiled. I saw James do the same, and then I saw James no more. "Very impressive!" We were praised when we performed the counter spell on ourselves also.

"Have the Slytherins woken yet sir?" Lily asked.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey brought them round last night, all are keeping quiet though, no-one will say anything about the break in at all." He sighed into his beard.

"I heard them looking for something when I first came down, although they only _thought _it was in the Common Room they didn't know." I told him, realising that I'd missed it out in my story.

"Hmm . . ." Dumbledore pondered. "Well thank you, enjoy the rest of your lesson, though I daresay you don't need the practice. James and Lily I suspect you have the next Prefect meeting scheduled?"

"Next Tuesday." Lily stated, smiling.

"Yeah. Then." James joked but was spared a glare from Lily as it was obvious he was joking and really knew what was going on. As we were about to part Dumbledore said one more thing,

"Billie, when you learn to trust yourself, then you can learn to trust others." And then he turned and left, with me standing there with my mouth open. I didn't understand, I do trust!

The rest of the lesson(s) passed pleasingly quickly, though not without incident. Sir was still harping on about friendship; it was obvious to the rest of the class what he was doing, probably due to the way Sirius and I both bristled at any mention of friendship and the other's name. Now it wasn't only Sirius' glare I could feel on my back when I had to stand up and show Sir my practical, a quick spin round showed that not only was the boy himself glowering at me, a couple of his fangirls (and boys!) looked like they would much like to curse me for ruffling the feathers of their prince, which I suppose just shows how little they actually know him, or how shallow they are to not bother to judge his character just because he looks absolutely fricking perfect ALL the time! Then we were all moved out into the corridor for a game of blind man's buff, Sir being the "blindman" and us having to line up and attempt to walk past him, if he could tell who it was then they had to write a 12inch essay on disillusionment charms, unfortunately, the idiot (we love him really) forgot that if thirty students were walking around invisible, he wasn't going to be able to see where they were and we weren't going to be able to see where each other were resulting in a broken leg, three nose bleeds, a broken wrist and sixteen banged heads (Peter was the one who managed to obtain all four injuries). So we had to change the game, only casting the charm on ourselves just before we were about to walk. I managed mine perfectly, Sir said he couldn't see anyone at all, James got his pretty spot on too, which is good because no suspicion should be raised about how he managed to stand in a room full of Slytherins and not be hexed, as did Lily, Remus, and (annoyingly) Sirius. Peter managed his fine but as he started walking the charm started to fade so by the time he was stood in front of Sir you could see an almost watered down image of Peter causing us all to laugh. There were a few others who couldn't do it either, some managed to charm their heads but couldn't cover their whole bodies and some were almost perfect except that one foot, or a sock could be seen.

**2:00pm**

I went to go see Professor Jubential after a strained lunch, our next class is at midnight, which, I guess is just great as all I want to do tonight is curl up and sleep! He was poring over a book on advanced defensive techniques when I found him in his study, he looked up and gave me a warm smile when he saw me come in.

"Hey Billie! How are you doing?" I took the seat opposite him and said nothing, raising my eyebrows to make him guess 'how I was doing'. "Oh . . . sorry, what happened?"

"I am so hated." I stated simply, it was the truth, the glares from in the classroom had spread all through the corridors and into the Great Hall, news always travels fast, and because half the female population are 'Sirius' (as opposed to 'James') hundreds more eyes were staring, contempt undisguised. Sirius himself of course wouldn't even look at me, interrupting into every conversation I had, practically stopping me from talking to anyone, except Lily, she simply glared at him every time he as much as looked at her.

"What? Of course you're not!" Sir exclaimed.

"Sir, Sirius and I had a huge fight first lesson, James got in a huge mood with us both because, I'll admit, we were both acting like children and then we come into your class both presuming everything should be fine and you simply have to put emphasis on everything to do with friendship whilst I'm sat there with people burning their eyes into my back!" I spoke quickly, because inside I felt guilty, he was trying to help!

"Sorry. I was trying to help." Sir bit his lip, "Can I see this fight? A note fight I presume, you guys don't strike me as ones to sit and do arithmacy without kicking up a fuss." I reluctantly handed over the note, which had somehow found its way into my pocket! I honestly don't know how it got there! I watched his face darken.

"I am honestly disgusted at you both." He handed the note back and gave me a stern look, it potentially would have been better if his ridiculously awesome blonde hair wasn't stuck right up at the back because he'd been itching his head whilst reading, but I still felt more ashamed than I wanted to. I really wanted him to say: "Sirius is an awful, sadistic dick never be friends with him again." But I knew the chances of that were next to nothing, one, because Sir would/should never use that kind of language in front of a student especially when it's about another student and two, a teacher really shouldn't turn students against each other, I know I said some bad stuff, but if he's not acting like it hurts him then it can't be really? "I'm with James, you're both upsetting each other for no real reason, it's a stupid pointless argument and, I'll admit, Sirius has thrown some very, very low blows against you but you've done the same, what can be so hard about just screwing up the parchment? Not replying? C'mon Billie, he's a boy, get him started in an argument and, I know from experience I've lost tonnes of potential dates because of this, he will not back down, no matter if he's in the wrong until you, or someone else actually slaps some sense into him!"

"So you think I should go and hit him?" I asked confused at the last part of Sir's sermon.

"No, I do not think you should go hit him! Nor do I think that you should hex him or jinx him or whatever mischievous little plans are formulating in your head right now," I swear there weren't ANY! "Forget them, TRY to behave like an adult, because you're nearly one! And Merlin's Beard! What effect do you think it will have on the rest of the school with two of the most popular people acting so badly to one another, because some people in younger years worship you guys like Gods and it's going to rub off on them!"

"I'm am NOT popular, the boys are, and Lily but I'm not."

Sir just laughed at this: "Don't be stupid, you're a Quidditch player, you wait to all the Euro teams arrive, we'll see whose popular then." My confused look made him chuckle also. "Let's just say: There are lots and lots of European boys and girls coming over and I think you might find they might be, how to phrase this without losing my job, quite interested in yourself and your brother . . . Yes?" I had to laugh too.

"Sure, whatever you say Sir."

"Look, just don't worry, just trust yourself and then you may be able to trust everyone else too." I stood, shocked, that's practically what Dumbledore said, I was tempted to ask what he meant but instinct told me not to.

"Yeah, it'll be right . . ."

As I shut the door behind me I heard Sir break into "It'll be Right" by the Weird Sisters, missing out half the words in the second verse because he didn't want to be caught shouting obscenities and lose his job. I went back the common room and then, seeing Sirius there, I continued up to our dorm, where am I now, and listened to It'll be Right six times. It's such an ace song!

**6:00pm**

On the way back from dinner, I was on my own because Lily had chosen to go up to the library, Remus was taking a shower before going on prefect duty, and James, Sirius and Peter were down in the kitchens, having the urge to stuff their faces with even more food, I thought I'd head off up to the dorms, grab my broom and have an experimental fly over the grounds as the weather is still pleasing. However, as my luck would have it, on the way up to the dorm I "bumped into" (they stood in a line and blocked my path) the group of "lovely people" (I can't stand them, really) who, obviously, wanted to know what had happened between darling Sirius and I.

"So, Potter," Sarah Freeth began, the sloppily applied lip gloss on her lips seemed to drip when she talked and my stomach turned a little, "We heard you've fallen out with Siri-"

"-Yeah, apparently you fell out because he spent time with me instead of you and you were jealous!" Ruby Donalds piped up, not that I could tell it was her from her face, they all practically looked the same, with excessive amounts of foundation covering not only their faces but the rims of their shirts, one had even gotten it on her Hufflepuff badge, different shades of pink lipstick, thick black eyeliner, applied as if by a child – let's just say, they all looked identically awful.

"The argument Black and I had is really, nothing to do with you." I stated, walking forwards to get past them. Unfortunately, they seemed to have a different idea.

"So you were jealous then?" Sarah and her posse moved to block my path even more.

"No, I am really, really not jealous of any of you." I shuffled to the other side of the corridor but they followed me again.

"Sure you aren't! You fell out because Siri likes me better than you! It's obvious! Maybe if you spent more time on the ground instead of on your broomstick then you'd have a chance of actually finding friends that aren't somehow linked to your brother- who is so totally fit, like you're twins but he's like, so much better looking." I hate to say it but that struck a chord, I was just off up to get my broom and weren't they just repeating what Sirius kept telling me, I had been hoping it was just him who thought I lived off my brother's back and as for James being 'fit' pft, he can dream.

"Ok, whatever you say, now can you let me past?" They parted just a little.

"Off for a fly?" Somebody sneered, couldn't tell who.

I spun round, unable to stop myself.

"Yes, yes I am, because unlike you impressionable little retards, who seem only to have one brain cell which monitors functions for applying too much makeup and chasing the male species, I don't give a damn what people assume or say about me because although I'm not revered by the whole school like my brother is, I don't need to be, I'm happy doing whatever I choose to do, so do me a favour, get out of my way and go find a picture of a Spanish quidditch player to drool over." I added a rather obscene word under my breath, bad, but it made me feel better. They sure tottered off then, too many big words I think.

I did go for my flight over the castle though somehow it wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be as everywhere I seemed to fly the Gryffindor tower seemed to be in sight, reminding me painfully that that tower was built for Gryffindors, who were supposed to be brave and loyal, I, with thoughts of flying away into the sunset forever, did not really fit the bill. Lets face it, do I really fit the bill anywhere? After about ten minutes of solitude I spotted another rider, zooming towards me, it was James, probably wanting to talk, probably wanting me to make friends with Sirius, it wasn't going to happen so I flew off, faster and higher in the other direction, disappearing from his sight. I flew so high I was up in the clouds, the water drenching my robes and hair, the water, cold, ancient and brand new at the same time, and in those moments I actually felt alive, not bound by people, idiots like Sirius and those Hufflepuff girls, I could have stayed up there forever, let the others come and find me if they dared.

Everybody has to come down sometime though.

What do they mean I have to trust myself before I can trust others?

**12:30am**

Just got back from Astronomy and I feel so much better, it's really amazing what one werewolf, one twin, one blank star chart and the whole night sky can achieve in lifting said twin's spirits in one hour! If I'm brutally honest I was kinda nervous about Astronomy because Lily had already agreed to pair with Alice because her partner was ill and James had ditched me for Sirius, or rather Sirius had made sure James was working with him, and I just presumed that Remus would be helping Peter as usual. Fortunately, I was wrong, when we got up to the tower Lily was cornered by none other than Amos Diggory, the look on James' face was, indeed, legendary, so Alice agreed to humour our Pete and join him for the hour, leaving me free to partner with Remus.

"Looks like I'll just have to look after you for an hour then." He sighed, sitting on the floor next to me and our star chart.

"What do you mean: look after me?" I was able to crack the only genuine grin of the day so far.

"Well, you know, make sure you don't poke yourself in your eye with the quill, end up diving off the tower, break something, you're a hazardous person!" He joked, reaching inside his bag to grab a pot of ink and two quills, amber eyes twinkling with moony mischief, which is most definitely the best kind of mischief, when Moony is in one of his rare rebellious moods anything can happen.

"That is . . . really quite mean!" I insisted, looking at him rather than what I was doing and knocking over the pot of ink. "Damn, oh, sorry!" It had seeped over someone else's chart before either of us could vanish it.

"See what I mean! Dangerous!" Remus sniggered as he pulled another pot of ink from his bag.

"You have two pots of ink?" I asked, only Remus and probably Lily would carry around a spare.

"Three actually." Remus stated in a very matter-of-fact tone, the glint in his eye there again.

I burst out laughing again, "Why?"

"Because I hang around with clumsy idiots like you!"

"What? Me? Clumsy? I think not!" I argued, outraged, then nearly rolled into Remus' bag as I shifted to get closer to the star chart. Remus just shook his head.

"Right, where do you want to start?" He asked, I scratched my head giving him an 'I don't want to start' look. "We have to do some work!" The panicky old man Remus who keeps spare ink in his bag and frets at the thought of not doing any work was actually quite funny.

"No, we can sit and chat then do some work in the last five minute like everyone else." I gestured around, everyone was just sat talking, Peter and Alice were laughing at something, I was glad things were going well with them they weren't really friends, James and Sirius were engrossed in a deep arm wrestle and I noticed most girl groups in the room were watching them and whispering and I also noticed how, at the far side of us one Lily Evans was blushing deeply as she giggled and conversed with one Amos Diggory, I made a mental note to ask her what she thought she was doing tomorrow.

"Lily looks like she's having a good time." Remus commented lightly, I couldn't decide whether it was just an offhand comment or whether he was trying to judge my reaction.

"Hmm, too much of a good time if you ask me," I couldn't help grinning at how stupid the words sounded in my mouth, rather ruining the seriousness of my statement, "I don't know what she thinks she's doing."

"Billie, James doesn't own her, he might like to think he does but when Lily went out with Amos last time he got a taste of that and I don't think it did his ego any harm!"

"Thing is, I do really believe that Lily really likes James I just don't think she realises it because it's too similar to the hatred she used to feel for him so she just thinks it's that," I turned away from Lily to look at James, he hadn't seen her, and I hoped he didn't.

"Maybe you're right but it is Lily, we both know she's the type of person who knows what she wants and usually gets it, I'm sure if she did have feelings for James it would be a lot more obvious." Remus had started to fill in the chart whilst I'd been distracted, he really just couldn't help himself.

"You think? You should have seen her this morning!" I told Remus what I hadn't told James, how Lily's monologue had ended with her drifting off into her more positive thoughts of James, then being too embarrassed to tell me any more. Remus laughed the sighed,

"You girls are a strange breed." From this I knew, I don't know how (girl's intuition?) that our little Remmy-poo had his eye on someone and I was determined to find out who.

"Sure, who is it?" I abandoned any attempt at subtlety and laughed when Remus flushed a bright red trying to hide it by turning away from me and looking all too intently at one part of the star chart. The boy mumbled something that I couldn't make out, it wasn't a name that was for sure. "Sorry, what?" I asked again leaning in to hear him.

"There's no-one!" He attempted to insist, didn't work.

"So why are you blushing like a fool?" His cheeks brightened again.

"Fine, there is someone, but I can't tell you!" He looked around to make sure nobody was watching us. "Not yet."

"What? Moony! Why not!" He gave me a look that clearly told me to keep my voice down.

"Because I can't really go out with anybody, with, you know, the way I am and I know what you and the guys are like, you'll say something and the person doesn't even really know me, or like me I don't think, and the if she does like me I'll have to say no, that or go out with her and just lie . . . I can't do it . . ." He looked up, eyes full of sadness, you couldn't see moony in them, just Remus, how could he think that somebody wouldn't love him because he was a werewolf, how would the person even know to begin with?

"You're completely wrong!" I told him, "You have a furry little problem but you've picked the right friends who don't judge you for it, who's to say you haven't done the same with this girl?"

He sighed.

"I just, don't know."

"You might as well go for it, according to recent polls you have been voted as the most dateable Marauder, but don't tell James or Sirius." We both laughed.

"No way, I'm nowhere near as good looking as you brother or Padfoot!"

"So you'd say, most people disagree, and every secretly knows that Sirius is an asshole so they don't really want to date him unless they are trophy people, everyone knows that Lily is James' only love so they don't tend to bother pining after him, well, the cleverer ones don't, and that leaves you, cute, potentially sexy, intelligent and overall a very nice guy." He frowned momentarily taking it all in then laughed,

"Really?" By doubting himself he was proving my point.

"Yeah, that's general opinion, obviously they don't know you as well as I do." The best thing to do when Remus even considers putting himself down is to joke about it so he can't complain or dwell on the feelings further, a trick James and I decided might work back in second year. Remus laughed and scanned the room again, obviously looking for his girl. "Is she in here?" I asked, trying to pinpoint his gaze.

"No, she takes Divination instead, likes the tea I think." He smiled, blushing again. So she wasn't in the room right now . . .

"So she's in our year?" It didn't matter if she wasn't I suppose, Sirius and James (and Peter) had all dated girls in the years below but no younger than fifth year 'because otherwise it's downright creepy' (quoted by dad) I just had a better chance of guessing if she was in our year.

"Yeah . . ."

"What house?"

"Not telling!" He turned to the chart again and continued to plot the lines, glancing up and the sky to check he was doing it correctly.

"Please! I know it's not Slytherin!"

"What if she was in Slytherin, would you put your prejudices aside for me?" He was joking.

"I might, but would James and Sirius? Would she?" I pointed out rather cleverly I thought.

"Alright, whatever, she's not in Slytherin!" He glanced up again and I noticed he wasn't making eye contact, probably subconsciously thinking that I would be able to see the badge in his eyes.

"Ok, one down . . . I'm guessing it's not Gryffindor, unless, it's not Lily or Alice is it,that would be far too controversial even for the Marauders! And Frank or James would probably smack you one . . ." I would have trailed on but he laughed.

"It's not anyone in Gryffindor, although Alice and Lily and you are all lovely girls . . ."

"Alright, you're just digging a hole now!" I laughed.

"What hole?" It was James, no doubt coming over to steal answers, I saw Sirius had chosen to go talk to Peter and Alice rather than come near me.

"A metaphorical hole." I answered, nodding wisely.

"Aah, the best kind of hole is the metaphorical hole, I find them rather interesting myself, watched a muggle documentary on one once." James copied my head nodding.

"The metaphorical hole, pride of the Hogwarts Savannah, stalks its prey, an unwitting and unwise Remus Lupin. Upon hearing the approach of the hole the Remus Lupin turns and eyes wide, dashes for cover but the hole is too fast-"

"-It swallows the Remus Lupin head first, and will not let him go until the Remus Lupin has either atoned for the actions leading him to become victim to the hole or given the hole masters – Billie and James Potter - the information they deserve-"

"Upon which point the hole will burp up the Remus Lupin, leaving him sat by the watering hole with only a giant squid as company looking rather dishevelled." There was a pause, a comic pause in which James and I both stared at Remus (James holding a pretend muggle camera) waiting for him to do something. Everyone else in the class, including Professor Hector, was watching too, when suddenly Moony burst out laughing, his rare, infectious laugh. Soon, pretty much everyone in the class that had heard was laughing too, Lily had turned her attention away from Diggory to shake her head in my direction and giggle and even Sirius let out a couple of his laugh-barks, it was strange, I hadn't heard him laugh in ages.

"QUIET!" Professor Hector boomed after several attempts of trying to get us to shut up peaceably. "Pooter," he shouted in his Scottish accent, "Get back to your partner!" and James scurried back over to his chart.

I opened my mouth to continue our House conversation but Remus cut me off,

"I'm not telling you!" _Damn!_

"Fine, I'll work it out, she's in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw and they can't be all Remus girls in those Houses," my mind wandered back to the 'conversation' I had with the Hufflepuffs earlier, "In fact, I know they're not all Remus girls!"

The Bell went soon after and I headed back off to the dorm with Lily who seemed to be in an extremely good mood after her hour with Diggory. In fact, she wouldn't shut up about him, it got kinda annoying but as I was in such a good mood I didn't say anything and just let her ramble. I didn't realise how tired I was until I got back to the dorm with a parting hug from my brother (who had waited on the stairs for me) and although I wanted to tell Lily about the new Remus revelation I thought it would be best just to get this written down and to go straight to sleep, which is what I'm going to do now . . .

Night!

**1:12am**

Can't sleep.

What do they mean, when I learn to trust myself then I can trust others? I do trust!

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_Hope you liked it, i have the next chapter ready so if any of you feel like sharing the love (a.k.) then please do and the chapter might just be posted quicker :)_


	12. AGUAMENTI!

A/N: This should be a happier chapter for you all! Nobody has reviewed but one of my amazing friends added it to their story alert so here you go. bon appétit!

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**19****th**** Sept**

**AGUAMENTI!**

**8:30am**

Had a bit of a sleepless night, I couldn't get to sleep for pondering over what Dumbledore and Professor Jubential meant – I do trust! I trust some people with my life! James, Lily, Remus, Peter, my parents and probably even Sirius if it was a matter of life and death. And I do trust myself! You have to trust yourself to play Quidditch otherwise you'd just fall off when attempting anything other than normal flying, I just don't understand what they mean!

Lily and I had our usual natter whilst getting ready, Alice had already left ridiculously early to go meet Frank, even though I was pretty tired, I remembered that I'd promised myself to ask her what she thought she was doing with Amos Diggory, and then decided to word it more pleasantly.

"So . . ." I began, once she had come out of the bathroom, toothbrush in mouth and a towel around her head. "I would like to ask about a certain Mr Diggory." She flushed as red as the curtains, then disappeared back into the bathroom to spit out her toothpaste.

"I've told you everything that happened last night!" A voice floated out of the bathroom. A small voice, a voice that did not want to be interrogated, a voice that, unfortunately, would be saying a lot of things it didn't want to that morning.

"I know, in great detail, but I want to know more." Her head poked around the bathroom door, now towel-less and I gave her my best mischievous grin.

"Like what?" That small voice dared to ask.

"Well, you know, you two went out last year . . ."

"Yeah?" I heard her stall whilst I pulled my shirt over my head then rummaged for my tie.

"Do you think that another romance is on the horizon?" I found it still in a loop and pulled that on too.

"No." Lily emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and began brushing her hair into a bun. "We're not really right for each other, that's why we broke up." She blushed again.

"You told me you'd broken up because you didn't want a relationship back then." I raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"Yeah, that too, I had to study . . ." I knew that that was a lame excuse and can't have been the one given to Amos.

"Like you have to study! I doesn't matter why you broke up; I just want to know whether you're going to go out again." She sighed and went over to get her bag.

"I doubt it, he is, as he always has been, very lovely, but I've got other things to worry about right now." She smiled for the first time, "Anyway, what's going on in Billie-Land?"

"Remus has a crush on someone!" Lily gasped and grinned hugely,

"No way! Who?"

So the conversation all the way to the Great Hall was dominated by ideas to whom Remus might have his eye on, I had to tell Lily six times that it wasn't anyone from Gryffindor she was that excited.

Breakfast was . . . pleasant. Lily made the decision for us to sit with the boys and it was impossible for us not to give Moony knowing looks when we sat down, it feeling good to be able to ignore the questioning ones from James and Sirius (Peter just ate) and conversation was very civil. Sirius shocked us all by asking me very politely to pass the ketchup when he could've asked anyone so in return I surprised everyone by replying sure and passing the bottle over. Very polite, very civil, what brought on that change of attitude?

**10:30am**

We're friends again. The looks of utter relief on the faces of James, Remus and Lily we're pretty priceless, I'm not even sure how it happened really, why I actually agreed to be friends with him again, the little arse, but we are – he's grinning at me from across the classroom now, he knows I'm writing about him, stupid berk, but anyway, this is how it happened:

The six of us departed from dinner but soon dropped to five as a mysterious shadow in the form of Amos Diggory swooped down and whisked Lily away to walk and talk with him.

"BYE THEN!" James called loudly at there retreating figures and Diggory turned round just to shoot us all a dirty look. "I dislike him." My brother stated, throwing an arm around my shoulder, I swear I saw Remus roll his eyes.

"I don't like him either!" Peter piped up, "He called me a fat lump once!" Wormtail clutched his 'rounded belly' and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

"I called you a fat lump last night and you still like me." Sirius pointed out, attempting to look uninterested and cool but failing somehow, it wasn't working for him like it usually does, I knew something was up.

"Nah, he doesn't," Remus entered the conversation, looking up from his book; "It's a conspiracy, none of us actually like you for anything other than your body."

"I think we should get him!" James gestured over to where Amos and Lily were walking.

"Why? Because he blatantly fancies Evans and can help himself from checking her out when she walks in a room?" Sirius asked, James looked like he wanted to hit him.

"No." He replied through tightly gritted teeth, "Because he was rude to Peter!" I couldn't help laughing at this. Turns out Sirius couldn't either.

"Don't talk through your bottom Potter," Sirius declared loudly enough for people to look over, "Face it, you don't like Diggory because he's all over your Evans, if you want to hex him then I'll help because personally I think he's a pompous piece of sh-"

"You won't be hexing anyone James!" I gave Sirius a dirty look, "You're Head boy! And have you not learnt yet that Lily HATES it when you hex people, especially if she has any involvement in your motives! You've got to start thinking with your head rather than your wand if you want her to even like you at all!" The four boys turned and stared at me speechless. "What? It's true!" James didn't say anything, he just stuck his tongue at me. Child.

We arrived at Herbology on time; Professor Sprout even looked impressed underneath her shocked expression. We were told to partner off AGAIN and I took my place next to Sirius and waited for my name to be called out on the register. It started of with us working in silence with me trimming the singing plant's leaves and Sirius watering the pearly pink roots and because all our friends were at the other side of the greenhouse and it was an unspoken agreement not to talk to each other we soon got bored. I had nearly done, I think I only had three more leaves to chop, when I felt a burst of cold water on the side of my face. I spun around to see a slightly smug Sirius, a few people that had were watching laughed tentatively.

"Did you actually just do that?" I asked pulling out my wand, I'll admit I was ready to hex him 'til Christmas, I was soaked on one side, my hair plastered to my face and my robes drooping with the weight of the water. The boy laughed (he wouldn't be later).

"THAT was for calling me Black." He raised his eyebrows in a way that suggested a comeback the words of Professor Jubential rang in my ears _don't-rise-don't-rise-don't-rise-don't-rise _but I rose. In one swift movement that he wouldn't have seen coming, I raised my wand and (AGUAMENTI!) fired a huge jet of water straight in his face. It was in his mouth, in his eyes, up his nose and I was glad to see that it ruined all his hair. I stopped and he stood gaping for air.

"THAT was for calling me jealous!"

Another jet of water from him which I managed to just dodge so that the plant got hit.

"THAT was for calling me a man-whore!"

I got him again more of his precious hair was soaked.

"THAT was for saying that I live in my brother's shadow!"

I had to dodge again.

"THAT was for . . ."

He trailed off, thinking, so I took the opportunity to get him again, aiming randomly all over his body this time.

"THIS is for calling me ugly, and stupid, a crap at everything, and for thinking that I need to be popular to be happy, and not coming to watch me play, and not telling me things, and making me bite my tongue and . . . and trying to get me to KISS you!" Sirius stopped staring drenched from head to toe, looking rather like a wet, forlorn puppy. I heard a quiet round of "go Billie, go Billie!" from my brother before Remus went and hit him.

"I'm sorry." Sirius gave me a puppy look and I rolled my eyes. "No, really, I am." I didn't know whether to forgive him or not, I didn't want to agree so I just nodded. Sirius' persuading expression switched to one of joy, a huge Padfoot grin spreading his lips. "Friends?" I rolled my eyes again, he was, so typically, Sirius Black that I couldn't help but miss him, hate him and eventually forgive him. I allowed him to pull me into a hug his wet shirt sticking against my face he smelt like wet dog and the cigarettes he used to smoke before we forced him to quit – not unpleasant – just Sirius.

"Yes." I replied about to pull away when I felt another cold burst of water down my back I shrieked embarrassingly and pulled away everyone laughing at us again and for a moment I thought I'd been conned and Sirius was just humiliating me, proving to everyone that I was weak.

"That," He laughed, "Was for not kissing me." He hugged me again and I nipped him hard on the side. It was then that Professor Sprout clocked us, I later found out that the reason she hadn't before was because James' plant had swallowed Peter whole and the teacher had to try to coax the plant to sick him up before he started to digest and this plant was being particularly stubborn.

"BLACK! POTTER!" Several students who were near her jumped at the volume of her shout, "WHY ON THIS FAIR EARTH ARE YOU COVERED IN MORE WATER THAN THE PLANT?"

We escaped without a detention, just.

James wouldn't shut about how happy he was with us all the way to Charms it did get really annoying so I changed the subject and asked Pete what it was like inside the plant's stomach.

"Awful!" Peter replied, "I was dark and sticky and there wasn't anything to eat!" I love Peter's simple mind sometimes!

**1:00pm**

It's lunchtime but I've escaped everyone to write this down by assuring then that no, I wasn't hungry and yes, I'll be eating at dinner besides, we have potions next and if Slughorn finds me writing in his lesson I'll be done for! I've just had two rather pleasant hours with the boys and Lily. Sirius absolutely demanded we pair up in care of magical creatures we were learning about threstrals and even though I can't see them as you have to have seen the dead to be able to see them I still found it really interesting. Interesting enough to ignore Sirius' sighs of boredom and pulls on my sleeve.

"You're so boring!" He whispered into my ear at one point.

"Go away then." I whispered back and was inwardly pleased to see that he didn't move an inch.

My concentration paid off eventually though, after our talk on the threstrals we were told to get into pairs and write a list of notes on the beasts based on what Professor Kettleburn has just told us and the pair with the longest list got off doing the essay he was going to set us for homework and although everybody started scribbling furiously I had the longest list in the class and I was damn proud too! So I got myself and the extremely unhelpful Sirius out of homework and because I'd got everything Sir gave 50 points to Gryffindor and I even got an approving look of Lily (who was with Amos AGAIN!).

After the success that was Care of Magical Creatures we had Prof. Jubential and I'll admit, I was a bit nervous, I didn't want a big scene because people had been able to pry enough in Herbology! I guess it was kind of obvious when we walked in together though; Sir's eyebrows shot up immediately so I gave him a thumbs up then put a finger to my lips. He seemed to get the message because he didn't say anything during the lesson, which was on centaurs, that too, was really, really interesting, I was able to listen about magical history without falling asleep, Sir told us about all the wars that resulted in the centaur tribes cutting themselves off from the wizarding world completely and I can't say I blame them, it is true that wizards have no respect for any other magical culture, we've bullied goblins, dwarves, giants, centaurs just because we don't understand their way of life and got scared that they'd over throw us or something! When the lunch bell went he called Sirius and I to stay behind and sighing, we gestured to the guys we'd meet them in the Great Hall.

"All good then?" Sir asked, rubbing his manic diagrams off the blackboard.

"Yep." Sirius answered, I just nodded, thinking, what if Sirius had been having little chats with Sir too? What if we'd both been played into making friends?

Sir turned around, grinning and wiping the chalk off his hands, "So when was the moment you decided that you simply couldn't live without each other?" I laughed.

"I wouldn't exactly call it that-"

"I would." Sirius joked.

"Shut up!" I warned laughing.

"Guys!" Sir broke into the developing spat, "I don't envy James and poor Remus honestly!"

"Sirius decided he'd like to start a little water fight in herbology," I gave Sirius a look, daring him to object to what I was about to say next, "I won."

"You won?" Padfoot laughed, "Yeah, sure." My jaw dropped and I wanted to hit him again just for trying to wind me up then I remembered we were stood in the same room as the man who told me not to be so childish and not to rise to everything Sirius said so instead of arguing (which I would have done) I said:

"Yes I did, but if you don't want to accept that just now it's ok darling." Giving him one of my best innocent smiles and then transferred it to Sir who laughed his potentially infectious laugh and shook his head,

"I think James, Remus and Lily are going to need therapy with you two back friends."

"James and Lily need therapy." I muttered darkly. Sirius barked a laugh and Sir frowned.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Not now Bills, they've cooked those pasties today!" Sirius complained and I rolled my eyes but had to laugh when Sir jumped up and pushed us out of the door, following right behind.

"No way! I love those!"

I've got five minutes left of lunch so I suppose I'd better go down to the dungeons, I've had quite a good day so far and I don't really want to ruin it by provoking sluggy!

**6:30pm**

Some funny stuff happened at dinner, I didn't provoke sluggy and his moustache and actually made it to dinner, when Lily and I arrived James was at the front table talking to Madame Hooch and I guessed correctly that he was arranging when our first practice as the Gryffindor house team (potentially the under 18 England team!) was to be.

"Saturday night." He told me, slightly out of breath from running around our long table finding everyone.

"That's fine by me." I replied, quite excited by the prospect of seeing the new members (Emmeline and Peter) in action with a full team behind them and looking down the table I could tell that Emmeline looked really quite excited too.

"Well it will be fine by you, you don't have a choice!" James had already succeeded in stealing all the roast potatoes and was now pouring the entire jug of gravy over his "meal".

"Sure-" I was about to object more when Lily nudged me to look at Remus who was staring over at the Ravenclaw table quite avidly James noticed too and tried to pick out who he was looking at.

"Earth to Remus?" He waved a hand in front of Moony's face and he snapped out of it, "Are you with us?"

"What?" Remus saw the looks on mine and Lily's face and blushed, "Yeah? Yeah. Why?"

"You might as well tell them Remus." Lily laughed as Remus tried to bury his face in a book he was reading.

"Tell us what?" Sirius entered the conversation, forgetting his game of exploding snap with Peter for a second and cursing as his hand of cards exploded in his palm.

"I'm not! Not now, or here . . ." Remus shook his head and tried to immerse himself deeper in his book.

"If you don't tell them I will, we need all hands on deck with this one." I told him.

"You dare Billie Potter and make sure that you never fly again!" He glared.

"Does she like them feisty Remus?" Lily asked giggling slightly.

"Who's she?" Sirius leant in grinning curiously.

"Do you fancy someone?" James asked, looking like Christmas and birthdays had come together. Remus just blushed. "OUR MOONY FANCIES SOMEONE PADS!"

You could actually hear the swoosh of heads as EVERYONE, I'm not joking, every single person in the Great Hall including staff turned to stare at Remus who shot the dirtiest look at James before grabbing his bag and walking swiftly out of the door.

"Dammit!" James got up to follow him, "What you looking at you nosy buggers?" and with that he ran after Moony muttering obscenities under his breath as he went.

"Classic Head Boy our James is." Sirius stole a Yorkshire Pudding off Remus' plate as Lily shook her head and sighed. "Now, should I go after them or should I say and enjoy a nice piece of lemon cheesecake?" Peter and I laughed freely and Lily pretended not to be amused but couldn't help the corner of her lips twitching.

"I admire your loyalty Sirius." Lily joked and Sirius cracked a grin.

"Since when did you get so witty Evans?" He asked with that mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Must have been when you looked away." Lily gave him a jokey sympathetic look.

"Damn me then, Pete you want another game of snap, I would ask you Evans but I don't think you're quite at my level yet."

Well didn't that just switch on the determined look in Lily's eyes?

"You want to bet?" She asked moving so she was opposite Sirius.

"Lily, you know this isn't very Head Girl-y, you know, playing snap during dinner . . ." She came to her senses a little then.

"Yeah, you never know Lily, your boyfriend Diggory might be watching and judging, I heard he only likes good girls." Sirius smirked when Lily blushed a little.

"Right, after you've eaten that cheesecake, we're having a game in the common room – this is war Black!" She called after grabbing her bags and leaving for the common room too.

"And so six became three." I sighed.

"I know we aren't half making a scene tonight!" Peter laughed as people craned there necks to see Lily leave.

"Your gymnastics routine next Wormy!"

" . . . My what?"

**9:30pm**

I'm knacked! Sirius and Lily have been playing snap for the best part of two hours! James was the one to drag Lily away, kicking and screaming, pulling her up to look him in the eye and saying very slowly:

"We must patrol now!"

"Do we have to?" She asked like a little child who's been told that it's time for bed or that it's time to leave their favourite relatives house and go home.

"Yes." James nodded, smiling.

"One more round! Pleeeeaaaseeeee, I can beat him!" Lily tried to worm her wrists out of James' grip but he was far too strong for her.

"Nope!" And with that he practically pushed her through the portrait hole seemingly deaf to her cries of:

"Jaaaaaaaameeesss!"

Well my brother is in for a fun night!

Remus has only just started talking to me again, it was only when I took the step to go and sit on his knee and beg him for forgiveness (whilst hugging him and preventing him from reading until he agreed to talk to me again) that he did.

"Swish and Flicker Remus," Sirius remarked when I was halfway through my begging, "We argue with each other and she ignores me until I stop ignoring her but Merlin forbid you don't be her friend her for ten minutes!"

"Shut up Padfoot, who's more important here?" I asked rhetorically before continuing to beg.

"FINE! Can I read now?" He cried when I'd reached the ultimate limit of his resolve.

"Sure," I said, I moving to sit back on the other chair, "So, who is she then?"

I love winding Remus up.

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There you go :) everybody's happy (except Lily she just loves snap!) I'm about four chapters ahead so i can post whenever i feel like it . . . whenever someone reviews . . . maybe . . .


	13. I Missed You Too!

A/N: Hey guys, another chapter. Nobody has reviewed *cries* but i guess people aren't going to so i'm just going to post the chapters i've done (i'm two ahead!) whenever i fell like it! Anyway, Enjoy!

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21****st**** Sept**

**I missed you too!**

**10:00pm**

Had quidditch practice today, the first of this year! I won't lie, it was brilliant, James hasn't let us (me) down because our team is unbelievable!

Moony only started talking to James this morning and only then because James was getting into such a state about it all I was worried he wouldn't actually be able to stay on his broom.

"He hates me Billie!" James stated in a conversation, a rather one-sided conversation, yesterday.

"He doesn't HATE you; he's just a bit-"

"He HATES me! I didn't even mean for it to be that loud it just came out that loud and now he won't talk to me and the marauders are over!"

"Don't be so-"

"I've tried apologising! He hates me now!" James was shaking his head and was wringing his hands as we walked from lunch back to the common room.

"James! You're twitching! Calm down!" He did . . . eventually.

So because James and Remus were back firm friends, though Remus was refusing to say anything else about his little crush, he was on top form for our first training session. It was a little breezy when we all arrived down at the pitch having to wait a good ten minutes for the Slytherins first years, who had obviously been paid to come and cause a disturbance, to clear off before we could get down to some real training. At first I thought it was going to be awkward, what with our real key players of last year having left, but I really wasn't, Peter (our new beater – that so rhymed!) obviously knew martin and therefore, I think, felt confident enough to perform and be himself around the rest of the group as well and Emmeline was so eager it was hard to dislike her at all. First James told us to "have a squat" on the grass as he went over some necessary stuff.

"Right," He started, wringing his hands a little nervously, Sammie gave me a nudge and a smile as she noticed he was a little nervous too, "First things first, and I really hope you don't think I'm picking on you or being cruel but Emmeline, we need to take a bit of a chill pill here!" I turned to look at Emmeline and couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, she was crouched at the back, perched on the balls of her feet and was springing up and down on them lightly a manic jack-in-a-box expression on her face. She smiled sheepishly and swept an escapee strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Sorry captain."

James laughed, "You don't have to apologise, it's just most of us here are fairly sloth-like, lazy people and you come along and BAM! I mean, even Peter isn't this excited and he's in fourth year, some of those guys still wet themselves when Sirius walks into a room!"

"Hey! That - !" Peter lost his words, "Sirius is a scary guy ok!" A ripple of laughter broke the ice again.

"Well, erm, I think because there are new people in our midst the very first thing we should do before I get all serious and passionate," I laughed, and received a dirty look, "Is to introduce ourselves to each other, so, erm, I'll go first, My name is James, what was that Martin?" Martin sat up straight and innocent,

"Nothing Captain!" He trilled with an angelic smile to boot. I laughed and received a dirty look (From James).

"Hmph, sounded like you asked me to stun you . . ." All the previous Quidditch team laughed this time as last year it had been Martin's signature sarcastic remark to say: Well, stupefy me! To everything somebody said, that was until David, our captain, had hit him over the head with a broom unintentionally hard and put him in the hospital wing for two days . . . I used to love David.

"Most definitely not James!" He eyed James' hands carefully as he deliberately tightened them around his broom.

"ANYWAY, my name's James, I'm in seventh year, I have a twin," He gestured to me,

"What I didn't realise!" I gasped.

"Shut up Billie! Or this is going to take forever!"

I did take forever, but I found out some very interesting things about the people in my team, for instance, John's favourite colour just so happens to be cerulean blue, the exact colour as Sammie's eyes, coincidence? I think not! Martin will only eat cereal for breakfast as meat on a morning makes him feel ill, his brother plays the electric guitar and the keyboard and his favourite colour is green (there was a hiss from around the group as he said this. Green is the colour of the enemy) and he likes to eat lemon by itself – strange boy. Emmeline only passed two of her OWLs but says she doesn't care because she plans on being a quidditch player anyway, she likes the weird sisters and says she gets her excited-ness from her father but didn't really give a coherent explanation why. Sammie has a fear of the dark and says that her parents have told her that if she didn't pass her OWLs she'd have been home schooled.

"Incentive enough?" I asked and she laughed.

I told them that my name was Billie, I had a twin called James (ignoring his smug look) most of my friends thought I has serious anger/hormonal problems.

Practice itself was gruelling but brilliant. It felt amazing to get back into some kind of routine, James assured us he wouldn't be moving too far away from the plans David helped us succeed with last year so we started off with five laps around the pitch on foot then five in the air moving off into our groups to practice individual skills, James flitting around between us.

John, Sammie, Emmeline and I set up a penalty shoot out by the southern hoops, first testing Emmeline, passing furiously between the three of us then shooting giving no indication when we going to. She saved pretty much all of the goals, missing two of mine and one of John's when I dropped it deliberately short for John to catch and shoot, confusing her. After about ten minutes James flew over, having set Martin and Peter off working on aim and power, then told us four to do a passing exercise, irking me GREATLY when he kept saying:

"Not fast enough!" . . . "Billie! You can throw faster than that!"

He soon shut up when I aimed the quaffle right in his face and threw it as hard as I could.

"Billie!" Sammie looked caught in between being appalled and wanting to laugh; she gave up with the appalled and began to giggle slightly. "Lighten up John!" She moaned as he sighed. "It's a joke!"

"I know." He replied his lip quirked slightly as she stuck her tongue out at him. Luckily, I stopped watching them in time enough to catch the quaffle that was thundering towards me from James' outstretched arms.

"Better Billie." He commented slightly sardonically before announcing that he was letting off the snitch so wouldn't be completely with us for a few minutes.

When we regrouped an hour later after many exercises as group and individually James told us that in order to succeed as a team we need to eliminate all weaknesses, he laughed as Martin aimed a pretend gun at Emmeline's head and she shot back.

"Not quite like that Martin!"

What he meant was we need to make sure we each know what our weaknesses are so we can sort them and be a proper team. James has said we've got to write three strengths and two weaknesses for each person and bring them to next practice – "Because the Hufflepuff game is only in a week and I wanted to see Amos Diggory's arse kicked!"

As everyone jogged off to the changing rooms I found myself lagging behind and talking to Sammie.

"How is everything?" I asked as we went through the doors, noticing her school bag looking a little fuller than usual. She sighed.

"Alright I guess, I struggled enough last year! What am I supposed to do now?"

"Sammie! You passed with what? Your lowest grade being an A?" I asked, "People would kill for that!"

I saw her head shaking as she wrestled her school shirt on.

"You know, I have utmost respect for you Billie, one E? How the hippogriff did you manage that?" I laughed.

"It's a secret called Remus Lupin." I winked.

"And James?"

"James is just bloody intelligent!" She laughed slightly but then frowned as she tried to stuff her Quidditch Robes into her already overflowing bag. "Seriously, not many people managed to pull off pretty and intelligent there's only like, you and Lily and a couple of Ravenclaws."

"And you!" She insisted, it was my turn to laugh.

"See you later guys!" I heard Emmeline call as she half skipped out of the changing room.

"Bye!" We both called back.

"What do you think of her?" Sammie asked, now attempting to fold.

"She's very good, extremely good even."

"I mean what do you think of HER?"

"Oh, I don't really know her that well, is she nice?" I took her robes of her and folded them with magic.

"I guess, she is, really, really excitable and it's only around Christmas time that it's actually bearable."

"She's in your year, right?" I asked, nearly ready myself.

"Yeah – she's nice in small doses, I usually hang round with Ravenclaws, or with John . . . so I don't really know her all that well."

"What's happening with John?"

She sighed deeply, causing the wacky diagrams of various quidditch "gods" to flutter.

"Nothing. At all." She started to get annoyed with her bag.

"At all?" I queried.

"Nope. He doesn't even . . . he HAS to know right? It's obvious and I just feel stupid all the time!" She wrestled with her bag some more.

"You're not stupid, I think he does like you, he's just . . . shy?"

"Pah!" she snorted. "He's not even shy! When we're with our friends he's can be a real live wire and they're always hinting stuff and he just ignores it." Her bag rips open once again and she punches it in despair.

"Chill it," I took the bag off her and shut it with magic, "Here, I wouldn't worry about John, he'll come round if he didn't like you and was just your friend he wouldn't have stuck around when it became obvious you liked him would he?" She blew out a final sigh and wished me good bye darting out of the changing rooms as she hears John pass.

A few seconds later James swaggered in, hands shoved in pockets, bag slung over one shoulder effortlessly and hair messed in a way that would make Lily's heart stop.

"Figured you'd be the last." He smirked.

"Figured you'd come to bug me." I smirked back, "Come here," I dragged him over to the sink and wet his hair so I could flatten it down a little, "If Lily saw you like that she'd have a fit!"

He grinned slightly and I flicked him.

"Even the thought of Lily having a fit is still quite sexy." He admitted when I'd done.

I waited for him to lock both changing room door because frankly, I'm kind like that.

"So." He stated still not managing to rid that cocky strut from his walk – now I understand why Lily wants to cripple him – "Good team eh? Eh? Eh? Eh?" His dug his pointy elbows in my ribs and I pushed him of me.

"I don't like the team." I lied, only to see the reaction on his face.

"Don't be silly Billie, I know you love the team because I picked it and let's be honest here, I'm amazing." He smiles angelically.

"Lets me honest," I mimicked, "I also have a head so big it can't get through the portrait hole!"

"Har, har, har." James fake laughed, "The team's good though, right, I mean, we won't know how good yet until our first game but I think we've got something."

My mind wandered helplessly to Sammie and Stony.

"We've got something." I sighed.

The rest of the conversation up to the common room was, as is the norm, nothing important, James didn't inquire to my sigh and I'm glad he didn't, Sammie wouldn't want James knowing our conversation just as Stony wouldn't want me knowing if he had a heart to heart with James.

**10:30pm**

I've written my strengths and weaknesses list, I'm slightly worried I haven't written enough for each person, must check with Sammie later, but here it is anyway. James asked us to set it out in a "star and two wishes" format.

**Peter:**

* I couldn't see much of your practical because you were at the other side of the field but what I did see looked good, you seem to have pretty good aim with you right hand and your ducking skills are pretty spot on from what I could see.

- Don't be afraid to speak your mind about anything, all the rest of us do and it has helped us to be a really successful team last year.

- Focus on improving left hand and back hand, in a game situation it is very unlikely that you'll get the ball coming to you the way you want it to, the easy way if you like, you need to be more versatile.

**Martin:**

* Your aim is ace as always as was the power you put into it. I know you can use both your hands so I guess that counts as a "star" too.

- Work on your speed. It's not something I noticed until I saw you flying with Peter, I don't know whether he's lighter than you or what but you could use to speed up if your little brother is beating you!

- Make sure you don't raise your arm too high, we had this problem last year and you nearly killed your shoulder for good so lower your arms boy!

**John and Sammie:**

* Your passing was spot on; we all slipped right back into the same formations and tactics as last year which was good.

- We could do with more eye contact and non verbal communication, we want it to appear like we're not communicating and just have a telepathic link when we're really sending signals over to each other that nobody notices.

- We need more attack plans and defensive plans, start a new year and keep them on their toes!

**Emmeline:**

*I was pleasantly surprised at you goalie skills, you saved most of ours which not even the Slytherin goalkeeper (whose father pays about a thousand galleons every summer so he can go to the England quidditch academy) can do.

- Make sure you're watching every single one of the players, it's something we all have to do but obviously it's important in your role. It'll be something you pick up eventually but if you start trying to do it you'll get it a lot quicker.

- Notice every single move you make as well as every single move we make, are you blocking every hoop? Have you move ever so slightly and created a gap?

**James:**

*You caught the snitch. Nice one.

- Don't irritate other team members.

- Don't come crying to me when you do and they hurt you.

Let's see what he thinks to them!

**12:00am**

There are times in your life when you're glad that your best friend likes chocolate, and there are times in your lie when you are SO GLAD your best friend likes chocolate. Lily Evans is the best friend in the equation and I have just sedated her with a bar of Honeydukes best I could have been saving for the full moon.

You see, Lily Evans is a naturally fiery person, it comes with the hair colour I'm afraid, her temper flares as often as mine does. For example, when James asks her out, or when James ruffles his hair, or when James gets a better grade than her in a test without revising, or when James talks to a girl, or when James pulls a prank, especially when James pulls a prank – you get the picture. Well, Lily Evans, it seems, does not particularly like being woken up at midnight after what appears to have been a few stressful hours. I thought I'd made it. I left Sirius at the boys' dormitory after a long goodnight hug then crept up the small spiral of stairs leading to our dorm. The door didn't even creak as I came in an tiptoed to my bed, clutching the chocolate carefully in case it rustled.

"Where the hell have you been?" Her furious whisper hit me like a shot, I had to grab onto my bed to stop my self from falling over in fright.

"_Merlin's tits _Lily!" I breathed back. I turned to see her sat up straight in her bed, hair wild and dangerous, eyes staring.

"It's ten minutes to midnight Billie! You said you'd be gone an hour!" I thought back, yes, I had said that . . . at eight o'clock. I'll explain.

We'd all had dinner, the clock was ticking ever closer to eight o'clock and I had just finished my transfiguration essay in one of the cosy chairs by the fire. Surprised looks graced the faces of the passing students as they walked in to settle down for the night and saw all five marauders AND Lily Evans gracing the sofas and chairs all with their heads in books or essays (with the exception of Sirius who was playing exploding solitaire solitarily on the floor insisting that he had done all of his homework already).

"Remus?" Peter called rather feebly from behind the chart he was filling. Remus didn't reply, evidently too immersed in his book on advanced defensive charms, one that I think I'm supposed to read as well. "Remus?" Peter almost whispered again. Sirius' head snapped up as Padfoot's does when he smells a rabbit and a mischievous look twitched a smile onto his lips as he saw Remus sat there.

"Don't do it Padfoot." James warned as he got up to help Peter as it was his call when Moony was out of it. I noticed him blush as he caught the approving glance from Lily. Sirius sighed and lowered the book he was about to throw at Remus. "We'd be better off relocating to the larger table Pete." James nodded to the back of the Common Room where, in a fluster of movement, the first years sat there disappeared. "Err. Yeah."

I watched them move awkwardly, trying not to rip the huge sheet of parchment or spill any ink then turned back to my just completed essay, admiring my last sentence.

"Are you done?" Lily looked up from her essay and blew a stray strand of red hair out of her eyes. It was looking a hell of a lot neater than mine and even with her cramped but elegant writing she'd still managed to write more! I nodded. Perhaps she would suggest I took the night off? I had completed a three hour quidditch practice and done two essays and its Sunday tomorrow! "Great, well, you make a start on Herbology and when I've done we can work on it together . . . I've got the book we need-" My load groan drowned out the rest of her sentence, Sirius smirked across the room at me.

"Shut up Sirius!" I shouted.

"Did I say anything?" He swore slightly as the cards he was holding blew up.

"There's no way you've done that essay too." Lily stated, "Why don't you and Billie do it now?"

He reply was to raise his eyebrows.

"It's due in on Wednesday!" Lily attempted to stress the importance of this date and Sirius was now looking at her like she was an alien life form.

"Yeaah, so I'll do it on Tuesday night . . ."

Lily just gave him an exasperated look. "You said you were done Billie?" He half asked, packing away his cards roughly, because they burnt him.

"Yeah – don't give me that look Lily, we're only going to be gone an hour or so and I have all of tomorrow to do it."

"Going where?" She asked, suddenly quite scarily, suspicious.

"Out?" Sirius had the audacity to wink at her before we half ran out of the Common Room just to hear the sound of Remus:

"I WANT SOME CHOCOLATE!"

Padfoot already had the map tucked in his pocket, and not yet needing to use it as a guide we made our way to the statue of the one-eyed witch then clambered inside when we were sure the coast was clear. Every time I take this shortcut it seems to get darker, wetter and smaller, I could feel Sirius pressed right up against me and even through the gloom I could see his grin.

"Get off of me!" I pushed him away and the low, throaty chuckle of his floated to my ears. Then a thought struck me: "You have the cloak right?"

He widened his eyes in mock surprise.

"Do you have the cloak?"

"Shut up!" I hit him on the arm.

The walk along the passage way was comfortable. It felt nice after the fall out to be able to slip back into routine, just me and him, him and me.

"So, do you think they'll be any hot foreign quidditch players coming over?" He asked when we were about halfway to Honeydukes.

"Oh, I hope so." I replied, not really bothered but wanting to wind him up all the same.

"Yeah? What's wrong with English men?" He asked pushing me up against the wall with his shoulder slightly. I replied with a look that clearly read: everything.

The rest of the walk was calm and cheerful and many times throughout I was filled, again, with that sense of ease. We spoke about my quidditch practice in detail, Padfoot found it as funny as I did when I told him about nearly breaking James' nose, I think it's a dream we both share sometimes. It was a little problematic getting through the trapdoor and out through Honeydukes. The both of us don't really fit under the cloak anymore together so we had to crouch and almost crabwalk out of the shop to avoid our feet being seen. When the staff's back was turned Sirius grabbed three bars of Honeydukes best and one cream deluxe from a shelf and gave me a 'don't freak out, I'll pay him' look to counter mine of shock. When we were out of earshot Sirius pulled the cloak off us both (though secretly I would have like to keep it on a bit longer as it was freezing without the extra layer) and shot me a grin.

"To the three broomsticks my lady?" He asked and I took his arm laughing.

Ten minutes later we found ourselves winding up the path that leads to the shrieking shack, the chocolate safely in our pockets and a bottle of butterbeer in my hands, a bottle of firewhiskey in Sirius'. We'd got these, not from the counter, but by sneaking round the back as Rosmerta is now accustomed to us doing. James' summarised on one night's jaunt, when we had seen a teacher disappear into the bar's warmth, that as long as we paid up and told Rosmerta exactly what we'd taken then why would she be bothered?

Sirius left the note.

_A firewhiskey and a butterbeer._

_Love, your favourite boy_

_P.S. got no money. will pay later . . . honest._

"Your heart's gonna be broken when she asks James for the money you know." I told him, reading the note over his shoulder, unable to keep the amused grin off his face.

Sirius let out a laugh.

"Pfft, it's common knowledge she likes me more than your tosser brother."

The shack looked odd tonight. Against the black of the sky you could only just make out its twisted shape. It's hard to describe but it almost looked – sad.

"Hey," Sirius whispered as we took a seat on the grass, shoulders rubbing due to the cold, "What's with our shack tonight?" He laughed against the rim of his firewhiskey bottle at the startled look I gave him

"Maybe it's lonely?" I offered. Sirius laughed again.

"Hmm, shall we build him a lady shack to keep him company?"

I prodded him.

"You know that's not what I meant!"

We talked for ages, hours it must have been, well, it was. Some topics were utterly pointless, as usual, but more important things were broached too. Such as Remus' girlfriend: Padfoot has made me swear never to rest until the identity of this girl is discovered and she and Remus are dating or have kissed at least. We are both hedging our bets that she's in Ravenclaw. She HAS to be in Ravenclaw. If you think about it, they're quiet, kind, studious, always in the library – I was tempted to suggest we stalked Remus in the library and see what he gets up to but thought better of it. James and Lily: Sirius seems to think that James is potentially better off without the constant pressure on his life, that Lily is weighing him down and he needs a casual girlfriend just to get over her. I told him that he sounded like Dr Frost; the relationship advice counsellor on the radio station that my mum listens to. I also told him he was wrong and that some people were just meant to be together and Lily just needs to get over the fact that he used to be an arse. He said nothing to this. Which worried me.

At one point Sirius laid back and told me to name all the stars I knew to him, I could tell he had to be a little bit tipsy by now to ask but I humoured him and laid down against his warmth and pointed out all the stars I knew. Admittedly, I didn't know as many as I thought, at it took a while to remember all the ones I did know but he lay there and listened through it all.

"Sirius." He whispered into the silence when I'd finished, "You forgot Sirius."

We both broke into laughter, nobody forgets Sirius. I got up slowly and pulled him to his feet after me, a harder task than most people think.

"We'd better get back. I don't know what time it is but I know we've been over an hour and Lily's going to flip if she's up."

Sirius muttered something as we began the descent to the shack it sounded suspiciously like: she will be up.

We made it back to the castle in record time, the doors we only just closing and I couldn't help smirking along with Sirius as we passed Filch and Mrs Borris, who can I say, STILL looks a little shaken after her flight around her owner's head. With the guidance of our trusty map we managed to avoid a prowling McGonagall and make it up to the common room just as the eyelids on the Fat Lady we just beginning to droop.

"Where on Earth have you two been?" She asked furiously as Sirius shouted the password to jolt her awake.

"In the library." I answered, sweet as anything, Padfoot shot me a smirk of approval.

"Doing what exactly in the library?" She quirked and eyebrow then laughed, snorting like a pig.

I think I actually heard Sirius' teeth grit together.

"Bezoar." He enunciated almost too clearly then grabbed my wrist as she swung open, still making horrid snuffling noises.

"Chill it! I'm here!" I gasped for air as I managed to wrestle my arm from his grip after my nightmare ride through the portrait hole.

"I really loathe her!" He snarled, gesturing at the back of the Portrait, "One day I'm going to slice her out if that picture, then she'll be in trouble." The light from the fire lit his face up in a menacing way, I was almost tempted to take a step back but I guessed he was joking. "We should probably get to bed." He sighed, "Your brother is probably going to eat me alive."

"Whoa. You've seen the wrath of Lily Evans, feel for me!" I joked back. I was handed one of the bars of chocolate to use as a bribe and with a parting hug I swept up the stairs and prayed that she had just gone to sleep.

She hadn't, of course, but I seem to have sedated her. I can just hear the rustle of the wrapper and the snap of the chocolate over Alice's muffled snores.

I'm going to sleep too. I have a lot of homework to catch up on and no doubt, despite the chocolate, Lily will work me like a house elf.

Good night.

* * *

A/N: Hope you liked it, the review button is right there should anyone fancy dropping a line :)


	14. Flobberworm Mucus

A/N: Hello all. figured myself out a new little system, whether it works or not is still to be decided, but, every time I finish a chapter then I'll post a new one on here? Sound alright? So I started chapter 18 last night so thought I'd post this :)

Another happy chapter for you guys. Thanks very much to the person who favourited and put this story on their alert my hotmail has decided to delete the email I saved with your PenName so I don't know it but thank you extremely much all the same!

* * *

**23****rd**** Sept**

**Flobberworn Mucus**

**11:00am**

For the past hour I have been sleeping. Professor Binns didn't notice so I was able to sleep on with the knowledge that I could use Lily's notes for my homework. A few minutes ago though, I was hit on the head by a large parchment ball and rudely awakened.

(I did not wake up with a loud shout and cause everyone around me to jump then give me a dirty look)

_Alright sleeping beauty? – S_

I read Padfoot's spidery handwriting on the crumpled page.

You just had to wake me up! – B

I threw the ball back without even trying to hide it, Binns wouldn't notice, he doesn't even notice he's dead!

_Sorry, but Remus and I had a bet at how long you'd sleep and I couldn't lose – S_

The ball was tossed back into my hands neatly. I sighed at his innocent grin then shot Moony a look.

Great. What were you betting? – B

The first piece of chocolate pudding. – R

This time Remus replied, grinning a little sheepishly.

_And it's mine! – S_

You don't even eat chocolate pudding! – B

_What? Oh. I hate you moony! – S_

Sorry, but it doesn't take a genius to think something through! – R

So you woke me up for nothing? – B

_Nooooo – S_

What for then? – B

_James wants you! – S_

With a loud whisper of "Oi Potty!" Sirius launched the ball at James who, with his practiced reflexes, caught it. James mouthed a "What is it?" at me before unfolding the parchment. A smile crossed his lips.

**I didn't even realise you were sleeping Bills – J**

Well I was – B

**Getting a bit rebellious? – J**

As long as you don't tell Lily I'll be fine! – B

_I'm going to tell her – S_

**Who shook your cage? – J**

_Your mum. – S_

… **- J**

_Shut up – S_

**Hey Billie, you done your thing for Quidditch? – J**

He means the star and two wishes thing.

Yeah, I got it done straight away – B

_Whoa, whoa, what's this? – S_

**I told each of my players to do a star and two wishes for each of the other ones so they know their strengths and weaknesses – J**

A few seconds after the parchment hit Sirius' desk he burst out laughing, he passed the parchment over to Remus who started to laugh quietly. James turned a little red to my left.

_JAMES! YOU CRACK ME UP! – S_

**Yeah? Well I think it's important – J**

It's not that, it's the fact you've called it three stars and a wish. It honestly begs the question: do I get a sticker for being "star"? – R

I laughed when I saw this.

Do I James? – B

**Oh, sod off the lot of you. – J**

_Chill it Prongs, you're the one with the camp names – S_

**Really, just shut up about it. – J**

When do you think everyone will be arriving? And how? – R

**I've been wondering that – J**

I wouldn't have thought until after Christmas, we've got to have an England team by the time they arrive – B

I've been reading up on it in the old newspaper clippings in the library and in all of the previous years students have been selected into a "super team" and sent to compete – R

_And they wonder why we never win? Imagine James, Billie, you'd have to play alongside jerks like Malfoy and Diggory. – S_

**I'd rather die. – J**

Same. Surely Dumbledore will think of that though, the uncooperativeness. There hasn't been a tournament here since he was headmaster? – B

Which is why we weren't entered, it seems the Ministry were quite against sending students off to different countries just to play quidditch. – R

**I suppose, Beaxbatons and Durmstrang don't allow other people anywhere near their castles anyway so how would they get that to work? – J**

_Hotels. – S_

Don't be ridiculous! – R

_Sheesh, I was joking, lighten up guys! Why don't we talk about something that is interesting for all of us! – S_

At first I wondered what he was on about but then, after glancing over to where he and Moon had been told to sit, I saw the mischievous grin on his face and I knew exactly what he meant. I grinned too and Remus' Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped.

No –R

Why not? You could at least give us some clues! – B

No –R

**Whoa, what's this? Remus' girlfriend? – J**

No – R

_Is she in the room? You might as well answer honestly I can see if you blush. – S_

No – R

Yes then – B

Remus' face had flushed a lovely pink.

No! Just leave it guys! – R

_No – S_

**No way – J**

Sorry Remus – B

We continued questioning Remus for the rest of the double period but he told us nothing except that she was, indeed, in the room. I wish he'd just crack already!

**2:00pm**

I am in disbelief.

Somebody, somewhere, has found a four leaf clover with my name on it.

I've done it.

I don't know how, but I did it.

I succeeded in potions.

It started off as your typical average Joe lesson, Slughorn filed us down to the dungeons rubbing his portly belly and wrinkling his moustache with laughter at some joke Lily was telling him. The doors slammed shut with their usual foreboding thud and we all took our seats, mine in between Lily and Remus, chattering away. They started talking about the notes they had taken in the previous Transfiguration lesson so I turned to the back and gave Sirius a thumbs up. I didn't get one in return as Padfoot was far to busy clenching his fists and preparing to thump the daylights out of the surrounding Slytherins and Hufflepuffs all of which we engaged in conversation about the wealth of their families and the ridiculously exotic presents one Ravenclaw boy got for his birthday.

"Alright, simmer down, simmer down." The slug called from the front of the class, nobody did, I presume because they all thought he was talking to the various bubbling potions on his desk again. "That means shut up!" We did, after another few minutes. "Right, thank you! Now I thought seeing as last lesson you had a theory lesson and had to do all that written work," We did. For two whole hours, in silence, it nearly killed me. "Well, I thought this lesson we could do a little practical and have a little competition." A faked ooo of excitement rippled through the dungeons. "I know, right this is what I want you to do – Mr Potter!" James chose that moment to stroll through the doors, a smile on his face.

"Good afternoon sir!" James replied, giving him a cheery salute and making his way to his seat. Lily tutted quietly.

"Mr Potter. You are ten minutes late, even your friend Mr Black managed to get here on time."

James spun round in his seat to give Padfoot a wave, the expression on both their faces being that they hadn't seen each other in a very long time. Sluggy shuffled over to a cabinet behind his desk and whipped out a detention slip before slapping it down on his desk and beginning to fill it in as fast as he could. The whole room when quiet, the only sound you could hear was the scratching of Slughorn's quill against the shiny piece of parchment, the head boy getting a detention? Why, that was simply preposterous!

"I have a note from Professor McGonagall explaining why I am late sir." James' voice called out and echoed against the stone walls. The professor's head popped up and his double chins wobbled in dismay.

"Let's see it then boy." He snapped. James pulled the note out of his robe pocket and pressed it into a podgy hand. "Horace, my apologies for . . . . Potter . . . . Helping . . . . Transfigure rats . . . ." He muttered out the note. "Fine Potter." I think I imagined the, you win this time. "Right, as I was saying before Mr Potter interrupted is that I want you to get into pairs and within the next hour and a half you must concoct a potion that is truly disgusting. Go!"

Everyone burst into a flurry of movement, I looked to my left, half expecting Lily to be there waiting to partner with me but she had already been preyed upon by the smugly grinning Amos Diggory. Within ten seconds everybody had a partner and was lining the edges of the room to gather equipment and was looking at me expectantly. I licked my lips nervously.

"I guess, I'll just work by myself here then." I said with a grin.

You've got to love Potter bravado. I saw Lily blush, half guilty and half flattered by what Amos had just said and from the other side of the room I saw the four boys, frantically mouthing apologies at me. _Sorry, sorry! Thought you were with Lily! Sorry! _I decided I'd get over it; I was going to have to work hard to get the potion finished with just me. It took me a while to work out what potion I was going to even make – there wasn't much disgusting in Advanced Potion Making Book Two. Then it struck me. I knew exactly what I was going to make and I didn't even need a recipe, I knew it by heart.

I gathered up my ingredients easily, they weren't anything particularly rare and Slughorn and plenty of each in his cupboard.

_First preheat your cauldron to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. _That would take a while so I could move onto the next steps whilst doing that.

_Crush the wombat claws and porpoise vertebrae into a fine powder and add to the bottom of the preheated cauldron. _The soot gathering at the bottom of my cauldron told me it was just about preheated so I scraped in half of my powder (keeping another half for my antidote) it started to bubble into a thick purple paste with the heat.

_Next, squeeze the juice of half a frog brain into your cauldron. _I did and the mixture became more watery, still a vile shade of violet.

_Slice your puffer fish fin thinly making sure to keep aside one piece for the antidote. Then, add your puffer fish to the cauldron and stir. _

I knew I had to stir the puffer fish into the paste-ish mixture in my cauldron, when I turned a deep crimson I knew it had mixed in properly.

_Stir in three teaspoonfuls of flobberworm mucus._

Hagrid would be so proud of me.

_Crush three doxy eggs and stir them into the mixture._

As I dropped the crushed eggs into my cauldron a big puff of sickly green smoke wafted from the lip. After that I crushed and sliced a range of other ingredients, all slimy and foul, and tipped them into my cauldron. The liquid was now a pussy yellow/green and smelt like Remus' sleep farts and the doxy eggs I had put it.

"Merlin's beard, has Remus let one off?" James commented as he came over, wrinkling his nose at the sight and smell of my potion. "What in Godric's name are you making?" I didn't tell him, I just smiled serenely and continued to stir.

"If it works then you'll see." And potentially disturbed by my grin he wandered back over to Sirius who was ignoring the potion and running his fingers over the top of the flame, mesmerised by the fact it didn't burn.

Now I was stirring I got a chance to look around the classroom, Remus and Peter had paired up in one corner and I watched the determinedly focussed expression on Remus' face and the slack, bored one on Peter's as Remus did all the work. Across from them that smarmy birthday boy Ravenclaw and one of his friends was frantically adding whole ingredients to their potion which was an angry red and threatening to bubble up over the sides, I saw a smirk flash over Malfoy's lips as it did. Behind them I could see Lily and Diggory, working away diligently, Amos obviously doing his best to try and impress Lily with his mediocre potion skills. Fortunately for him she seemed to find his actions amusing and an embarrassed smile graced her face as he spoke. Were they always that sick to watch together?

"Excuse me, are you using the rest of that flobberworm mucus?" A quiet voice pulled me out of cringing at Lily and Amos. I turned to face the voice and found myself face to face with a Ravenclaw girl. She was slightly shorter than me and had curly brown hair and large blue eyes supported by a mass of freckles. Her voice was so quiet because she had the cuff of her sleeve covering her mouth and nose to protect herself from the Remus-fart smell. I half recognised her from around and about but she'd been at Hogwarts for seven years and I didn't know her name and I found that strange.

"Err, sure. Sorry about the smell." I passed the pot of slimy liquid to her with a smile.

Her eyes smiled back, "I don't know how you can stand it!" I laughed.

"Trust me, I've been sharing a house with Sirius Black and James Potter for the summer." She giggled a little before thanking me and making her way back over to her partner, a tall, blonde who I vaguely remember being on the Ravenclaw quidditch team a few years back, whilst I took up stirring again.

After ten minutes of me stirring and observing my potion had turned into a thick-ish paste, satisfied, I scooped it out into three vials, sneaking two of them into my pocket as they would no doubt be useful for pranking later and in the remaining five minutes I managed to concoct the antidote, or so I hope.

"RIGHT!" Slughorn called, he'd been saying right a lot today, "Times up! I'm going to come round and you're each going to tell the class what your potion is and demonstrate, if you can, that it has worked. Then I will give it a mark out of ten."

He went to Remus first.

"I've made a slug killing potion that kills slugs." Remus said, then realised that everyone needed to here more, "Oh, well, it makes them swell up and pop and it's a bit gross. And after they've popped they decompose. Nobody likes slugs, so I thought it would be good to kill them." Slughorn was nodding and turned to get a live slug from his store cupboard. Remus grinned over to James and Sirius who were mouthing the: We all hate Slughorn song we made up in our first year. Sluggy placed the creature on Remus' desk and allowed him to pour a few drops of the potion on the thing's slimy back. The effect was immediate; the slug grew to the size of a small cat then exploded messily all over the desk and the floor. Noises of distaste filled the classroom and a few of the smarter Hufflepuff Girls shrieked unnecessarily.

"The best part is tat it cleans itself up afterward!" Peter nodded excitedly and the class watched in awe as the slug organs fizzed away to nothing on the floor.

"Well done boys." The moustache bristled as sir scratched the boys names and their score onto a sheet of parchment, "9/10"

The professor continued his way round and each pair showed off their disgusting potion. The girl that took the mucus and her friend had created a moving ball of slime that squealed and squelched as they threw it to each other laughing as it slipped through the boy's fingers and tried to slide away under a desk. They got an 8/10 and hi-fived vigorously. Lily and Amos had created a potion that causes the drinker's blood to rush to their head and give them a nose bleed. I laughed, Lily can't stand nose bleeds.

"Is one of you going to demonstrate it?" Slughorn asked, beaming as he always does around Lily.

Lily went white.

"I don't think that's necessary, honestly, we all know nosebleeds are sick and-" Before she could finish her sentence Amos had tipped some of the potion into his mouth and a scarlet fountain of blood started pouring out of his nose. Lily screamed and hid under the table. Soon everyone was laughing at either Lily's reaction to the effects of her own potion or the fact that Amos Diggory was now frantically trying to hold in blood whilst finding the antidote. He swallowed it finally and the blood stopped flowing.

"It's alright now Lily." He mumbled thickly, "Does anyone have a tissue?" Lily saw the blood trails down across his lips and decided she'd stay under the table for a little bit longer. Annoyed that his favourite student was upset he sent Diggory to the toilets to get cleaned up.

A few table's later Sir was on to James and Sirius.

"What have you made then?" He asked, already sounding unimpressed.

"Our potion makes people projectile vomit." James replied simply, "Does anybody have an objection to me demonstrating?"

"What? You plan to demonstrate?" Sirius asked him shocked.

"Well, yeah." James turned to face him.

"But that's a waste of bacon that is!" Sirius grinned and James hit him.

"Any objections?" James raised the vial to his mouth and surveyed the class when no-one spoke he drank it down in one. There was a pregnant pause where nothing happened then James hunched over their cauldron and the contents of his stomach spilled out of his mouth with an almighty heave. It was disgusting, really disgusting, and at that moment Amos Diggory sauntered back in. He took one look at James' sick and ran straight back out of the classroom, earning his second lot of humiliation today. Sir only gave James and Sirius a six. Unfair, I thought.

Finally, it was my turn.

"I've got here a potion that my uncle taught me how to make a couple of years ago, it has rather interesting effects on ones skin when you rub it in so I'm going to need a volunteer . . . oh thanks Remus!"

He looked across at me, eyes wide.

"What? I haven't volunteered! Get James or Sirius to do it!"

"James has already been sick and I plan to smear it on Sirius' face when he's asleep sometime so I want him to watch and be scared." I heard Lily's quiet laughter.

"I'll give you chocolate for it." I bargained, and that, more than anything, seemed to do it. Remus walked over to me a little jerkily and rolled up his sleeve.

I grabbed a stirrer and smeared a good helping of my potion onto Remus' skin. It began to bubble and raise, red blisters filled with lakes of yellow pus swarmed up on the surface of his skin. Some popped as they grew, the pus leaking down his arm and into the gaps between the boils. Remus held his arm out as if it didn't belong to him anymore.

"That." He whispered, "Is vile."

One boil continued to grow and grow until it stood a good two inches of the surface of Remus' skin.

"Wait there!" Sirius called, running over with a knife. I surprised myself a second time by not finding this at all strange. Remus tried to pull away but Padfoot grabbed onto his arm and popped the spot with the knife tip. Pus flew everywhere. And this time nearly everybody ducked under their tables.

"Mr Black!" Slughorn yelled, waxing the pus off his moustache. As Sir had a go at Pads, I rubbed the antidote back into Remus' skin, as quickly as the boils came they disappeared. Remus left for his desk clutching his wrist in disbelief. "Well, Miss Potter, that was, by far, the most disgusting thing I have seen all day so I shall award you will full marks and . . ." He shuffled back over to his desk and produced a tiny vial of liquid. "Felix Felicis. I presume you know what this is Potter." I nodded, ironically unable to believe my luck as he pressed it into my hand.

"Erm, thanks." I mumbled as the bell went.

The little bottle is wrapped up in a pair of my socks and is in my trunk right now, I'm going to keep it there until I really need it.

**7:00pm**

Just got back from dinner and the little happy bubble in my chest has swelled massively! Dumbledore has just revealed everything about the upcoming tournament and I can't wait! We all knew something was up when, before we ate, he stood up and requested that all the quidditch teams stayed behind after dinner.

When the remaining stragglers had been cleared off the teams gathered at the lower end of their tables, nearest the staff table.

"Good evening everyone." Dumbledore began, smiling.

"Evening sir." Our team chorused back, then laughed because we were the only one.

"Glad to see some people are feeling awake and happy." Behind his half moon glasses I thought I saw his eyes flicker over to the zombie like Slytherin team. "Anyway, I've kept you back so I can give you all the final information about the events leading up to when our guests arrive after Christmas. Now, before then we need to have one England, or, if you rather UK team."

I unconsciously held my breath, praying that he was going to suggest a play off. "In previous years when the tournament was held here students from different houses were selected to form one super team, however," James gave me a funny look as my breath whistled out, "Now it does not take a genius to work out that if seven players are have a good relationship with the people in the team they are going to play better than a group of exceptionally talented players thrown together in a group with people they used to be rivals with. That's why this year I propose that we have ourselves a little tournament and the winner of that will become our final team." His eyes twinkled at the hissed out yeses.

"Sir?" Sammie called out, then gulped as everyone's eyes fixed on her like hawks, "Er, are we playing for points or like a kind of knock-out?"

"Excellent question Miss Wills," Dumbledore smiled and I saw Sammie's cheeks tinge pink, "The team with the highest total of points with be our chosen team. Everybody got it?" We all nodded. It was going to be important for James to catch that snitch. "Anymore questions?" Dumbledore asked, everyone had a little look around but nobody seemed keen to speak. "Lovely, well off with you all, toodle pip!" With a wave of a ringed hand we all got up to leave, I caught Professor Jubential's eye as I turned and he grinned and gave me a small thumbs up before engaging in a conversation with McGonagall.

The atmosphere on the way back to the Common Room was brilliant, James and Sammie surged ahead, bouncing idea after idea off each other about new tactics and plans. I hung back a little and found myself talking to Martin and Peter. They get on surprisingly well for two brothers, Martin was just agreeing to help Peter with his Potions homework and I told them about my success in potions today. We all laughed at Peter who cringed hugely when I told him the bit about Sirius popping the boil and the pus going everywhere.

"I hate pus!" He cried, covering his ears and running off.

Lily has told me that I have to put my excitedness to good use and do one of my due essays, I can't see her logic because doing homework will just put me in a bad mood but she has to patrol with James for two hours and he'll be off the walls so I'm just going to do what she wants!

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A/N: There you go guys :) The next chapter (because I know!) will be entitled Dear Mum and Dad . . . and should be up soon!


	15. Dear Mum and Dad

A/N: Hey everyone, hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! This one is incredible short so I thought I'd post this and the what-started-out-as-a-filler-chapter-but-ended-up-longer-than-this-major-plot-line-based-chapter at the same time. Lucky you!

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**25****th**** Sept**

**Dear mum and dad . . . **

**9:00pm**

Just got back from our second quidditch practice and if James is going to keep up the intensity of training session we're all going to be dead or body builders.

The first thing we did (even before warm ups!) was to each read out our stars an wishes, everybody's wish for me was to control my temper, maybe you could try boxing as another sport? John suggested wryly. I told them I'd try but I was a naturally hormonal person and it just couldn't be helped sometimes and therefore I did not hit John when he told me later that karate was also good for angry people. Sammie stuck up for me a little and told him that:

"John, if you want someone to be calm and not break your face when they throw you the quaffle then I suggest not winding them up!"

He blushed and shut up.

The practice went a lot like the first one, we split off into our groups and Emmeline really took on board everything everyone said as we couldn't score past her for a while at all.

"Does that make us really bad or Emmeline really good?" Sammie asked when James flew over. He laughed.

"Emmeline's good, I know a good goalie when I see one, 'snot my fault you guys don't trust my judgement!" And after sharing a grin with Emmeline he zoomed back off to the equipment box and set off the snitch. Eventually we did get one past Emmeline, or I did anyway, which made me feel a little better about myself. As a sort of surprise James enchanted a bunch of hovering dummies so they were goal height and told us all, including Emmeline to try and get through them the quickest. To make it harder, he cast a spell on them so they moved to block your path. Stony got through the quickest, then me, then Peter, the Sammie, then Emmeline and lastly, Martin.

"Speed Martin!" James hadn't really noticed the speed issue until now, "Come on, all of you, again!"

He made us do it for the remaining half an hour. I'm shattered.

**10:30pm **

I was just doing my homework (on my own like a right little loser because Lily, James and Remus were at a Prefects meeting and then patrolling and Sirius told me he had some mischief to managed and had locked himself and Peter in the boys' dorm and wouldn't let me in) and then a sickening thought struck me. We were 25 days into the new school year and I hadn't written to mum and dad yet! No wonder they think of me as a failure of a daughter! So I tore off a piece of parchment and wrote.

_Dear mum and dad,_

_Sorry I haven't written to you yet, you would not believe how ridiculously busy the last 25 days have been! We get given a piece of homework every lesson, and I'm not talking annotate a diagram we have to write 12inch essays on practically everything and all spells have to be learnt before next lesson. I'm ok though, I'm managing to keep up at the moment, I haven't had a piece of work in defence against the dark arts that hasn't got an O yet, our teacher is really lovely, and everything else has been mainly Os and Es._

_Just finished our second quidditch practice and James is doing a really good job so far. The group dynamic is perfect, we've only got too new people and our keeper is amazing! During the whole practice she only missed one shot (one of mine) everyone's really proud of her. _

_Sirius and I have only had one major argument so far and that only lasted about 5 days so that's all good. I won a competition in potions the other day and won a bottle of felix felicis! Just lucky I suppose! It's in my trunk at the moment, it's only a little bottle so I plan to save it until I really need it._

_How are you dad? And your work? I hope they haven't sent you on any more pointless missions, you need to tell them there's no point risking your life when everybody knows that the stuff your doing is just to make it look like the ministry are doing something! _

_Anyway, love you both,_

_Billie x_

There. I thought that was ok for quite a breezy letter. Breezy, like I'm not too bothered but still caring and interested in family life. Lily's still not back but I'm going to go force my way into the boys dormitory and say goodnight to Pads and Wormy then take a shower and have an early night. I'll post this in the morning, won't Ethelbert be pleased to see me!

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A/N: Yes Billie . . . Won't Ethelbert be pleased to see you?

Hope you enjoyed it. I know it wasn't excitingly long - but in the next chapter she has the dangerous task of posting the letter (harder than you might think). Review!


	16. Ethelbert

A/N: Hello peoples. Here I present you with your second glorious instalment of The Diary of A Misunderstood Potter :)

Angst warning: no owls were mentally or physically in the making of this chapter. (and no, Sirius does NOT go on an owl killing spree . . . )

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**26****th**** Sept **

**Ethelbert**

**8:00am**

So this morning, full of the occasional vigour that tends to inhabit me during times when I am on a mission, I got up before Lily, got dressed in a snap, headed through the silent Common Room and took the promised trip up the owlery. I was surprised at how nice Hogwarts actually is this early on a morning, silent and still, waiting for everyone to wake up and bring it to life. It was the kind of quiet you just down want to break, I found myself stupidly taking quieter breaths and evening out my footsteps, making them lighter. I was lucky I guess, because the lamps and fires had already been lit by the amazing house elves we have, lucky because a) it wasn't absolutely freezing and b) I was less likely to get in trouble for being up and about quite so early.

I didn't meet anyone on the way up there. I thought I heard snatches of conversation as I passed the staff room and the caged animals in professor McGonagall's room were just beginning to stir and make noise but all in all it seemed like I was the only person in the whole castle and it felt great.

So by then time I reached the doors to the owlery I was in a pretty good mood. Trust those stupid owls to change that.

Letter in pocket I reached forward and pushed the heavy oak forward as silently as I could. When I remarked that our family owl Ethelbert was going to not really be pleased to see me I was joking, see, I didn't realise owls got in a grump with you if you didn't post letters very often. As I stepped into the tower I was greeted by a soft swish as every feathered head spun to fix me with a yellow stare. At first I thought I'd imagined it but as I shuffled a few more steps in I realised that yes, the owls actually do look surprised to see me in here!

"Sorry!" I told one whose look was particularly unimpressed (talking to owls, oh dear.) He hooted back a haughty reply before taking off for a higher rafter, no doubt to tell all his mates that "Billie Potter is actually in the owlery!" By the time I'd gotten to the posting balcony I had lowered myself to glaring at each owl – after realising that staring them out would fail because owls don't blink. I bet James doesn't get this when he comes up to post a letter. They'll probably all have a banner for James: _James! Our no.1 letter poster! _And will hold out their wings for him to hi five as he goes past, hooting in joy when they see his familiar glasses.

Stupid James. Stupid owls. It's hardly my fault that my parents and I don't really get along well enough to bother with regular correspondence when I'm at school. They hear everything they need to know from James, why would they need a letter from me? I can't remember when James stopped signing letters with my name as well as his, probably a short while after I stopped asking about the letters, probably because they didn't mention me at all. Probably my fault – usually is.

I got to the posting balcony before I realised that I needed my bird to post the letter with.

"Ethelbert!" I called out, a couple of the owls gave me a disinterested half glance but most had taken to ignoring me after I'd glared at them. Proud things, owls. "Ethelbert!" I marched back in just in time to see the Potter owl try to disappear behind one of the school's tawny owls. "I saw you Ethel!" I reached out to move the school owl but it flew off and Ethelbert was no longer behind it. I cursed under my breath. "ETHELBERT!" I saw something move in my peripheral vision and turned to see him swoop behind another clump of owls. I moved quietly over and managed to make a grab at our family bird before he twisted his head and nipped me hard with his beak. Naturally, I swore and let him go. Averting my eyes from the blood now dripping from my hand I saw Ethelbert fly high up to the farthest roosts. Little swine.

Ethelbert has always been a good bird for us. I still remember quite clearly the day we got him, in diagon alley because James and I were going back for our second year at Hogwarts and dad was sick of not having his work owl there when he needed her because we were using her all the time. Since then he had performed excellently – our every wish. Now however, he was being a real little piece of dragon turd.

"What is your problem with me?" I screamed up to where I could see him perched, preening his feathers smugly.

"Well, your last essay wasn't that great, and you haven't been contributing in class as much as you used to – something the matter Miss Potter?"

You ever had the feeling that your insides have just about shrivelled up like a prune? Can you die, officially, of embarrassment?

It was Professor McGonagall. I should have heard her coming, what, with the devil shoes she wears. I felt almost dizzy as a swell of blood flushed my cheeks.

"My bird." I informed her with a small voice. I swear I heard her neck crick as she tilted her head up to gaze right up to the top rafters.

"Hm. I see. Have you not thought of using one of the school owls?" She asked in the voice that just makes you feel so small.

"Err, well. I haven't posted anything in a while . . . so I thought it would be nice to err, see him . . . and err, catch up?" I felt smothered by my stupidity but something in "Minnie's" eye softened.

"How long is a while?" She asked.

"About a year? It's usually James who keeps the home link there." I admitted, refusing to look at anything but her feet, and boy, I must have been shouting VERY loudly for me not to here those behemoths coming.

"Do you not feel the need to write home too?"

I snorted a laugh, "Whatever I tell them isn't new." I glanced up and saw her lips were tightly pursed.

"You might surprise yourself." She told me firmly. I just shrugged, there are no surprises as far as my parents and I go. "I don't teach you today do I?" I shook my head and she sighed. "How are the quidditch practices? I haven't had a chance to ask your brother and just so you know, if Gryffindor aren't the England team by Christmas, I will personally ban all of you from ever touching a broom again whilst at Hogwarts." For the first time since our meeting I cracked a genuine grin.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry professor, we plan to kick some inter house posterior." She smiled as well.

"You do know Billie, there is a way of getting your bird down." And then she turned and left, leaving the "what? HOW!" dangling there on my tongue.

A few seconds later though, a small weight dropped on my shoulder and I turned to see Ethel himself, looking intelligently apologetic. I heaved a sigh as he hopped onto my arm so he could inspect the wound he had given me and allow me to attach the letter to his leg. With another contrite look he ruffled his beautifully soft feathers and made the "hoo, hoo" sound that James and I love to believe means: I'm sorry, I love you.

I watched him fly off for about ten minutes, until I could no longer see him, even as the tiniest speck on the horizon.

Now all I have to do is _eagerly _await the reply.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed that it was probably the most fun chapter for me to write as of yet :) it was originally supposed to be Professor Jubential who finds Billie but I just ended up writing it as McGonagall and I love her character so I decided to keep it that way! Until the next chapter :)


	17. Just Counting

hey guys :) another update! chapters are flowing from my ears! of course i have many reasons for wanting to write, the beautiful, amazing, delightfully chilly snow that's given me and my friends 4 snow days and of course the lovely review from **Siriusly luvs Harry Potter **that made my day!

well, i'm not very sure i'm happy with this chapter, there are bits that i love (professor jubential for the win!) but i think it's missing something. anyway, after that positive start have a read and tell me what you think!

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**2****nd**** Oct**

**Just Counting. **

**10:00pm**

It's that time of the month. And by that time of the month I mean Remus' time of the month, where is furry little problem becomes quite a large problem for me and my nervous system.

He's been unwell for the last few days. When Lily asked I told her he was just worried sick about his mother, he always gets poorly around the time he is allowed to go visit her. My stomach twisted awfully when I told her this, I hate lying to Lily but it's not my secret to share and I don't plan to break the trust that took so long to build. We started preparations when Remus was still fit enough to join us in the getting of chocolate. He's greedy really, we all know Madame Pomfrey stocks up with enough of it to feed a bus full of small (obese) children but we still buy him a mountain-ful because that's what we've always done, it's a tradition to stick too. James and the boys went over their plan last night as they usually do even though it must all be second nature to them by now, while I listened on, penning down an essay that I knew I wouldn't be able to do tonight because of the state I would be in/am in.

I'm just worried, that's all – a little shaky maybe, perhaps pale? James commented one night after we were a couple of months into the whole group going out that I looked worse than Remus did, Padfoot seemed to find that funny but he did hold my hand when I saw the damage he had done to himself even though it was less than before.

"We tried our best to stop him." He whispered in my ear. It made me feel a little better but even now I feel that they're trying to fight with a double edged sword: To stop Remus from hurting himself they have to run the risk of him hurting (not killing, _definitely _not killing) them. It's tough.

I did some counting earlier, on the second floor. I started at the stairs and counted every single portrait on the outer wall. _243_. Then the inner wall. _236. _Then I counted the candles sticks. _107. _Then the rugs. _5. _I repeated this trick over and over, it was satisfyingly mind numbing and I was feeling less and less my fretted little self with every circuit. I daresay I nearly fell over with fright when the staff room door, which I'd only barely noticed on my door count, swung open and Professor Jubential stepped out and join my silently on my walk round.

"_119,120,121,122,123 . . ._" I counted under my breath, determined to keep up the catatonic act to avoid any sort of questioning.

"What were you counting?" Sir asked calmly when I'd stopped back at the stairs. (the number of cloaks in the portraits. _204_.)

"Nothing sir. Just counting." I replied with an attempt at a smile. Yeah, he saw through that one.

"You're worried about Remus." He stated, hitting the metaphorical nail hard on the head. I just nodded, feeling the need to count something else before I started freaking out again. "Remus will be fine, he has done this every month for 6 years, and it'll just be second nature to him. You, however, are going to end up in the mental section of Mungos if you don't calm down!" I tried unsuccessfully to hide a shaking hand, "You've walked past the staff room 12 times-"

"15 times." I blurted before I could stop myself.

"You see what I mean?" He asked and I nodded slowly, "I suggest you go back to the common room and indulge in some weird sisters and a nice long defence essay." A broad grin swept across his face and I couldn't help feeling a little lighter. Just a little though, and as soon as he ducked his head back under the staff room door the panic crept back in. Let's just say, I didn't take his suggestion.

Lily hasn't been much of a help. Remus left for the shack at five, just as it was beginning to get dark, and the rest of them joined him at seven. Ever since James told her this morning that he couldn't do patrol tonight without giving a solid reason she has been in a foul mood. I suppose it lightened around lunch because as we were leaving Diggory sidled up to her and suggested they do the patrol together and after flushing a pretty pink she agreed and told him where to meet her. Despite that, in the hour before she left she was pacing around and calling James every name under the sun, until, of course, she realised that I was actually in the room and started to fret over me.

"Merlin Billie! Are you ok? You're so pale! Do you need me to take you to Madame Pomfrey?" Her cool white hands were pressed carefully against my forehead, "You're shaking. Hey, it's not me is it? I know I've been terrible all day but your brother just infuriates me!"

I shook my head, "It's not you, I just feel a little bit off." She stroked my hair a couple of times.

"That time of the month?" She asked quietly as a group of third years traipsed in. I laughed, mimicking, uncontrollably, her quiet tone.

"Yeah, something like that."

That seemed to be an adequate enough explanation for my behaviour for Lily and she went back to calling my brother names before darting of to go find her darling Amos. I checked the map when she was gone. He was waiting outside the portrait hole for her. Git. I couldn't find any of the boys on the map, they must have gone to Hogsmede or someplace beyond the map. They know I hate it but it's better for my health if I don't know where they are. I can't list the dangers of them being in that place that way.

**11:00pm**

_What if. _I hate those two words. Two haunting, horrible words.

Sammie spotted me sitting hunched in a chair by the fireplace and told her friends she'd meet them in the dorm.

"Billie?" She asked tentatively, coming to crouch in front of my chair. "You ok? You look like you've received some really bad news."

I cringed as an automatic scenario of the bad news I could receive tomorrow played in my head. "Billie?" she took a shaking hand.

"S'nothing." I told her, she didn't believe me I don't think.

"Is it Remus' mother again?" She asked, "Aw bless you! And where's your tosser brother and Black to keep you company?" I shrugged and she pulled me into a tight hug. "Don't you worry yourself Bills, they'll all be fine." My stomach clenched a little as she let go and patted my head. "I'd better go up . . ." She gestured to the stairs. I nodded.

"Thank you Sammie." She hugged me briefly once again.

"Just come and get me if you need me."

I wouldn't, because, I can't go get anyone else. I need the Marauders and they're not here.

**12:00am**

Lily strolled in at half eleven, face flushed and eyes gleaming. She was so happy she didn't even scold me for still being up and staring into space as I had been 3 hours before. I followed her up to the girls' dorm and put on my pyjamas before announcing to Lily that I was sleeping with James. This she did scold me for.

"Billie, you do know that is against school rules." She told me.

"He's my twin brother, it's not like anyone cares." Suddenly all my stress was being let out on Lily, I did feel bad, just for the record.

"What's wrong with this dorm?" I was asked, Lily's eyes meeting mine with a hint of something in them, I wasn't sure what it was.

"Nothing! Alright? I just want to go see my brother so if you don't mind . . ." I stormed out, slamming the door shut behind me before stomping down the stairs.

"Billie!" I bumped into Alice who was sneaking her way upstairs, her short brown hair a mess and lips swollen no doubt from doing whatever she had been doing with Frank. "Is Lily awake?" She whispered, I thought I saw her fingers cross in the gloom.

"No idea." I replied before moving on past leaving poor Alice with a confused look in her eye.

I lit the lights in the boys' dorm, admiring the mess and moving to collapse onto James bed. Then the smell caught me, a nasty, eggy smell coming right from James' bed. Covering my mouth I leaned over and pulled open the cover a little. The smell intensified horribly as I moved the quilt back to reveal a little scrap off parchment written in Padfoot's writing.

_Dutch oven!_

I couldn't help laughing as I dropped the quilt I was holding back into place. Sirius and his pranks, James really should have thought before doing whatever it was he did. Turns out Sirius' bed was the only one that was completely free of stink so I crawled under his covers and began to inspect through the window.

I continued my inspection up until now. Wondering where they were, how they were, what they were doing, when they'd be back, if any of them were hurt, bleeding, in pain?

**1:00am**

Still watching and wondering and worrying.

**1:30am**

The Non-Stop Weird Sisters channel has stopped. I swear it's a sign!

**1:33am**

The radio is back on. I didn't realise I had been holding my breath until I let it go in a long, whistling sigh.

**2:00am**

A long, mournful howl has just electrified the hairs on the back of my neck, so loud I heard it over the radio. The boys are back in town.

**3:00am**

Kind of tired now, but I vow to keep watching. After not-so-close-inspection I have found that James' bed still stinks.

**4:00am**

Trying to write, and watch and listen. But it's hard with the fuzzy sleep feeling in your head and your eyelids sinking every second.

**4:12am**

So.

**4:21am**

Tired.

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a little bit of foreshadowing there, just a little. oh, i do love the "jubemaster" :D


	18. Pale

A/N: Good evening everyone! Here we have the entry to Billies diary because, quite frankly I'm on a roll with this at the moment! :)

Of course huge thanks should be given to the MAGNIFICENT people who have reviewed/favourited/added to their alerts: Siriusly luvs Harry Potter, team-damon-and-paul, xox-siriuslyinlove-xox, PinHeadDancer, kyo's-kitten256, liebedance, mayalewis16, naflower05 and ever other person who has shown their love. THANKYOU!

well, enjoy!

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**3****rd**** October **

**Pale**

**3:00pm**

"Well isn't this lovely?" A deep, charming voice was the first thing I remember this morning. I remember rolling over tired, whoever this voice was could wait, surely sleep was more important? "Hey," The voice whispered more slowly as a body, probably attached to the voice slipped under the covers next to me. I groaned and pulled away, not wanting to share my comfort and warmth with this voice and this body that smelt like a wet dog. Then it hit me. In a flash my eyes were open and arms wrapped firmly round him in relief he was ok.

"Padfoot!"

I pushed him away to examine his face, not a scratch and bare chest, littered with yellowish bruises but nothing too bad. "You're ok?" Another great wave hit me as I was given that award winning smile.

"Of course, it's not everyday I wake up with a lovely young lady in my bed now is it?" I swatted him on the arm, refusing to blush.

"How's Remus? James? Pete?" I asked, starting to move away to check if they were there.

"All fine – yes even Moony!" He assured at my dubious look. "You however, look awful. You know the whole point of you staying here is so you don't get ill, or hurt and look at you!"

I shrugged moving my head away from the hands that were trying to feel the dark rings under my eyes. "Billie." Sirius warned me as I turned away from him, "You don't need to worry about us." He pulled my face back to meet his and I had no choice but to squirm under the intense eye contact. "Do you understand?" He asked. I nodded, but I would never stop. A sigh escaped from his mouth before he grinned dangerously. "You know, you look quite cute on a morning." I smacked away the hand that was going to ruffle my bed hair and tried to make a dive out of the bed.

"Ow! Pads! Get off me!" I yelled as I was grabbed and pulled back under the covers.

"Sorry, I wasn't under the impression I gave you permission to leave my bed."

My jaw dropped, disgusted.

"Please!" I tried to wrestle him off me, "Do I look like I'm from Hufflepuff?" His bark-like laughter filled the dorm and he stood up to leave himself.

"All the same, you're going to sleep now, I'll wake you up in a couple of hours."

Now, I didn't like leaving something like that with Sirius.

"What about-?" I began to ask.

"I'll tell them you're ill." He pulled a shirt and a tie on before winking and strolling out of the dorm door. I suppose I wanted to be a little annoyed at him but I was so relieved and tired to squeeze another emotion into the midst. Within what must have been ten minutes I was fast asleep in Sirius' bed again.

It was James that came and woke me up, just before lunch so I could have something to eat - apparently Sirius was planning on just leaving me but James is thoughtful like that. My brother got the same routine inspection as Sirius did, crying a sharp "Gerroff!" as I went to inspect his chest. I got my way in the end and was happy to see there wasn't a scratch there. I was lectured the whole way up to the hospital wing about the importance of having something to eat and that Remus was FINE for Merlin's sake!

He certainly didn't look fine. Not from a distance anyway. From the entrance to the hospital wing he looked very pale against the white sheets and hygienic walls. He was propped up on a stack of the ridiculously comfy hospital wing pillows and wasn't doing anything, just staring into space.

"Moony!" I called, speeding up until I was jogging, choosing to ignore all the unkind looks from the hexed patients in the surrounding beds. I was given a wan smile as I arrived at his bedside, James hot on my heels. "Are you alright?" I asked in a more hushed tone, I do have a slither of respect for everyone else.

"I'm fine." He croaked. I quirked an eyebrow. "Really Billie. I am feeling perfectly dandy compared to ones before . . ."

"Are you sure?" I asked, pressing four of ten Honeydukes bars into his hand.

"WHAT'S THAT?" I jumped as Madame Pomfrey appeared behind me, snatching Remus' chocolate away and leaving him clutching at the air.

"It's just chocolate, honest." James tried to take it back but it was pulled from beyond his reach (well at least without harassing her).

"Hm." Was our answer.

"Please, Madame Pomfrey, we only bought it because we thought it would help." I pleaded quietly. She gave the chocolate one last look of contempt before passing it back to a weak Remus. We exchanged grins of triumph as she pottered off. I perched myself on the edge of the bed and James stood, hovering, next to me.

"So," I began as the wrappers were torn open and the chocolate snapped up and devoured. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Bill!" Remus laughed, the 'ie' was lost due to the mouthful of chocolate he as carrying in his mouth, "YOU look worse than me!" He chewed, grinning. I looked towards James. No help there.

"What do you mean?" I asked, hands moving instinctively to my face.

"You're very pale." James nodded, taking a piece of chocolate. We both laughed at Remus' scandalised look. "What?" James asked, "I bought the damn stuff!"

"Well if I'm pale I think I might need some too." My hand was wafted away.

"You're so funny." He pulled his prize closer to him. "And don't even think about complaining that James got some and you didn't!"

We sat and talked for the rest of lunch, watching the chocolate pump life back into our werewolf then the bell went and my twin and I found ourselves pounding the corridors to get to class.

I doesn't do for the Head boy to be late.

**8:00pm**

I apologised to Lily and Alice for my erratic behaviour last night at. Lily gave me a reproachful look as I sat next to her in potions but with the absence of Remus she realised without me having to say anything that I was just worried about him and 'his mum'. She also said I looked pale, guessing that I hadn't had much sleep. Sheepishly, I told her that I had been asleep all morning but she just smiled a little mischievously and told me it was perfectly ok as long as I felt better now. I was informed of Lily's night with Amos, well, some of it, a lot was lost under giggles and was babbled but I got the impression that she enjoyed herself. A nasty half of me wished she'd come and talk about her night with James like that. At least she's gotten over the nose bleed incident.

Alice was caught just as she was leaving the dinner hall arm in arm with Frank. I ran after them like a lunatic.

"ALICE! ALICCEE!"

She turned around, mouth slightly open. Only a little smile graced her face when she saw me.

"Billie?"

"Hi." I stood, slightly out of breath after my sprint, "I am so sorry for last night!" I watched her eyes darken in confusion then light up as if someone had lit a bulb in her pupil. She laughed.

"Billie! What are you talking about, you didn't upset me, or offend me!" she released herself from a rather displeased Frank and pulled me into a hug. "Listen, we all know it's hard for you guys when Remus goes and sees his mother, you're so tight as a group if one person falls off a cliff you'd all jump after them. And I know Lily is being a bit naff at the moment, she's all Amos land. Just don't worry chick." She whispered quickly into my ear. I felt relieved again, swearing to myself that if I felt anymore relief today I would die from it. "Hey, I'll see you and Lily later yeah?" She asked, joining herself again to Frank.

"Sure." I nodded and smiled at her retreating figure. I debated going straight back up to the common room but caught a whiff of sticky toffee pudding and thought I'd have another bowlful. My excuse for that behaviour is because I didn't have lunch and _obviously _I'm still stressed out!

Or, or maybe I'm just greedy.

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A/N: Ahh, greedy Billie, just greedy. There's a lot of professor jubential in the next chapter because quite frankly, i love him. until then . . .


	19. Fangtastic

A/N: chapter 19 - ooer. After being inspired by the lovely review from Siriusly luvs Harry Potter i decided to finish chapter 22 (CHAPTER 22!) and post this.

A bit of Professor J in this chapter, i do love him incredibly lots and things between Lily and Amos move along . . . are you excited yet?

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**9****th**** Oct**

**Fang-tastic.**

**10:00am**

There is busy. And There is BUSY.

A real-life example of busy could be:

_James: Hey Padfoot! Please could you come and help me with this a second? [Shouted from the bottom of the staircase in the common room] _

_Sirius: [faint] sorry mate, I'm busy! _

_An hour later . . . _

_Sirius: So, did you get that thing done then?_

_James: Yeah, I had to get Moony to help me though, since you were busy._

_Sirius: Ah, cool._

_James: You weren't really busy were you? [Sirius looks up in surprise then grins]_

_Sirius: No. _

And then there is the real life example of BUSY which basically describes my last week. I have had three Quidditch practices, THREE! It's all because the date of the first match (between us and Ravenclaw) has been announced and it is Saturday the 19th of October, just over a week away. James is working us to the limit, not only do we have to train to professional standard during practice James has now told us we need to do two hours worth of exercise outside of practice a week.

"Aw c'mon!" He cried, annoyed, when we all groaned from our places on the grass, "That's only seventeen minutes a day!" So since then I have also been running, doing excessive amounts of sit-ups (so many Lily tied me to a chair in fear I had become addicted) and I even braved the icy water of the lake once for a half our swim. That's not the worst of it though, my teachers, Professor Slughorn in particular, have been hammering homework into us like there is no tomorrow – well, no day after the day it's due in. All together I have had 26 inches in Transfiguration, 16 inches in HOM, 32 inches in potions but I bet that's just because Slughorn is an arse, 14 inches in Herbology, plus a full annotated diagram, 22 inches in charms, six charts in Arithmacy, 20 inches in DADA, 2 star charts for astrology, and three diagrams for care of magical creatures. Sirius said he'd worked out that if we were to spread the amount of parchment that we as individuals had used this week end to end it would stretch from one side of the corridor to the other. He then had to promise Lily and James he didn't try it out.

James and Lily have become much more of a team, but so have Amos and Lily. Every half an hour he's there, hovering around Lily, asking her stupid questions just so she'll talk to him. I don't know what annoys me most him skulking around and asking her or her telling him. Being honest I'm not really sure why I don't like Diggory liking Lily he can be a nice guy and I have never seen Lily happier than when she was going out with him I guess I just wish it was James that made her this way – I'm sure he does to a certain extent. She doesn't hate him anymore, they can be civil and have a laugh without wanting to insult, hit or rape the other and sometimes I see her get this glint in her eye when she talks to him, I don't even think she knows it's there but we all see it. James and Lily . . . well, I just think it's meant to be, they'll be a prophecy about them somewhere, I'll bet. Amos and Lily I'm not that sure.

**12:45pm**

I don't care if Professor Flitwick sees that I'm not doing the work, stuff him, I've written half a corridor's length on his bloody subject! We have just had an extremely funny defence against the dark arts class, extremely, extremely funny.

James and I were late to the lesson because of visiting Remus and I felt the distant but not forgotten pang of expecting a detention in my gut – even if it was Professor Jubential. I vaguely noticed the clove of garlic hanging from the door as James pulled it open.

"Vy Meester Potter vou are very late."

Both James and I stopped at the entrance of the classroom and looked around before bursting out laughing. Sir had dimmed the lights in the room to create an eerie effect and was clad in a long dark cloak. A pair of plastic fangs were stuck half out of his mouth and he sucked them in with a slurp. James and I spun our heads to see most of the class had an identical pair of fangs stuffed in their mouths no doubt he had insisted they wore them. "Here!" He cried throwing two pairs of fangs in our direction (which, of course, we caught with our mad quidditch skills) "Put zem in, zey fit ok but zey give vou one hell of a lithp!" A few people on the front row laughed as sir had to suck the plastic monstrosity back into his mouth. We took our seats at the back and I cast Sirius a half hearted glare as I sat down, he would have let me miss this. "So zen guyth, can anyone tell me vere vampires come from?" A few hands shot up but then sunk back down when the people realised they'd have to speak with the fangs in and make a fool of themselves. "Lily!" Sir pointed at her when she half put her hand up.

"Twanthilvania." She attempted to say, then burst out in giggles. "Twan – Fil – Vania!"

"Sorry?" Sir asked, a smile playing across his lips all to similar to Sirius' signature mischievous one.

"Twanthilvania." Lily told him, now quite red but still laughing.

"Sorry vat?"

"TWANTHILVANIA!" Lily shouted laughing with the rest of us.

"Vere?"

Lily plucked the spit covered fangs from her mouth and enunciated:

"Transylvania. Merlin, it's like having braces again!" A few people laughed – those who knew what braces were.

"Cowect! Tranthilvania! OI!" Sir snatched his fangs out of his mouth marching over to the other side of the classroom and stopping directly in front of where all the Slytherins were sat, half looking miserable, half looking like they simply didn't care. "Why? Pray tell me, are you fellows not wearing the fangs I have given you?" He asked the very example of a patient teacher. None of them said anything; they just looked up at him like he was a piece of dirt. "Are you slow? Boys?" He asked and I was thankful for the fangs that stifled my laugh. "Ok, I'm going to give you all a proposition, you put the fangs in your mouths and I don't give you all a weeks worth of detention, or you don't and I give you a weeks worth of attention and also, because you are the only ones able to speak I make you answer all the questions?" There was a rumble of mutterings followed by ten or so affirmative snaps as the plastic clicked in behind their teeth. They looked ridiculous and knew it, I could see Malfoy, the bastard, drawing up a list of the people who were laughing at him so he could hex them later. For ten minutes we took notes on what sir tried his very best to read aloud off his black board – about vampire hunting, garlic and coffins. Then it all got so much funnier as half way through one of sir's epic diagram creations, one where he uses the other board and draws manically until the chalk snaps, Dumbledore strolled in. He must have received a tip-off or something from someone in the know because that twinkle was in his eyes.

"Tho, we know zat the vampires mooved vest but zen . . ." Sir was reciting, chalk in hand. He jumped about a foot in the air when Dumbledore cleared his throat and as he reached to pull the fangs from his mouth I saw my opportunity. I raised my wand ever so slightly so it was pointing at sir's mouth and cast a silent sticking charm. The fangs would not come out of his mouth. "Thorry thir!" He apologised to Dumbledore who was standing amused in the same spot James and I had been, "Vou thee, veeve been doing vampires and I fought . . ." He began, fingers as well as fangs in his mouth.

"I know Professor, however, it seems your sticking charm has had a negative outcome." Dumbledore nodded sagely.

"I din't even catht it!" Sir exclaimed, spit starting to build up in his mouth. I sat watching him struggle for another minute before I burst out laughing, giving my whole game away. "Biwie!" He frothed as I clutched the desk to stay relatively upright. I laughed so hard my fangs fell out then Sirius and James started laughing at me and triggered everyone else. Even Dumbledore started to chuckle away to himself as sir gave up removing the fangs and sat down morosely on his desk, a hand running through his wild blonde hair. As soon as I had got my laughter under control I removed the charm. "Finally!" Sir went to pick up his fangs from the floor as they had dropped out of his mouth, "I would give you a detention for that but I don't really want to spend any more time with you lot than I already have to so I'll let it slide. _Potter._"

"Aw, thanks sir!" I called back.

"So, Professor Jubential, you were explaining this . . ." Dumbledore gestured to the fanged students around the room.

"Ah yes, well," Sir scratched his head nervously, "Well, I worked out due to what other staff have told me that these guys have had a corridor's worth of homework," Sirius smirked next to me so I elbowed him, "So I thought I'd give them a little fun, have a laugh . . . hahaa, joke's on me!" he glared at me as much as he dare with Dumbledore opposite him.

"That is very admirable, I'm sure the students wish all teachers were the same." Dumbledore nodded at the student body in the room as we all smirked a little. "Mr Black," Sirius' head snapped up, "I have been told by a certain Mr Lupin that you had better not return to the boy's dormitory because enchanting his bed to smell like rotten eggs is NOT funny." Sirius attempted a gasp of shock but ruined it by laughing.

"That was James!"

James' shocked and appalled face was far better.

"You enchanted my bed too! I had to sleep on the sofa in the common room last night!" Padfoot tried again.

"Billie! How could you? Your own brother!" I glared at him and Dumbledore laughed.

After Dumbledore had left sir decided he was better off teaching minus the fangs but it was interesting and fun all the same. I was informed by him on the way out that I was lucky I was a quidditch player and the team needed me or else he would break my bones – he was joking of course.

"Not allowed sir." Sirius told him, "I could though, if you paid me enough."

I ignored him all the way to charms.

**8:30pm**

Big news! Big news! BIG news!

Lily has just gone off for her corridor patrol but not before admitting something highly important to me. Earlier I think I wrote in here that Lily and Amos were getting a lot closer, unfortunately the nose bleed accident wasn't enough to deter her from his "charms" and she does, indeed, again, unfortunately fancy him.

"How?" I asked agape after the big news that had been revealed in our empty girls' dorm. Lily blushed furiously.

"I don't know ok! I was over him but, just being around him is so _nice_ I can't begin to describe it."

Nice? NICE? How is anything about Amos Diggory nice? Sure, ok, he is reasonably good looking I get that but as soon as he opens his stupid pretentious mouth, he just ruins it. I can't understand why Lily finds anything he says funny. It's not. He's not. And there's the infuriating way he walks and holds himself, if James was the most conceited arse in Hogwarts between his first and fifth years then Diggory seems to have taken off right where he left off. He's one of those awkward, awkward people that think you like them, that think everyone likes them, but really, they don't. Amos Diggory is not nice.

"Billie, you seemed to have zoned out there a little . . .?"

"What? Oh, well, I'm happy for you?" I attempted supportive/excited. She sighed.

"Look, I know you don't like him but if anything does happen between us-"

"-Again." I muttered.

"Again," She admitted a little sourly, "Then please try to be happy for us – for me?" I nodded and with a swift hug she left the room beaming.

I don't know how much this is going to change things. Its obvious Amos likes Lily so if she asked him he'd say yes before you can say quidditch. James is going to be heart broken, I think he has deliberately laid off the "go out with me, go out with me, go out with me" so they could become friends and later have a relationship but I daresay Lily's ship has sailed for Amos island and I don't think there's much we can do about it. She'd better not expect me to hang out with them both because I'd rather chill with snivelly than those two if they're together. Sometimes I think Amos Diggory is more annoying than Professor Slughorn.

"Oho, Potter! You look awful glum is that because I'm making out with your twin's future wife right in your face?"

I just pray Lily has the common sense not to tell him because if so it looks like I have myself a night full of sit ups.

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A/N: hope you enjoyed it! that was almost as fun to write as the ethelbert chapter :) go on then, review and i'll update ;)


	20. I Was a Marauder First

A/N: Thanks for another amazing review from Siriusly luvs Harry Potter, siriusly guys, you should read the stories or go hug her or something . . . now!

Ohh it all kicks off in this chapter . . .

Warning: If used in a strange manner the " - "'s are bad words.

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**10****th**** Oct**

**I was a Marauder first.**

**10:30am**

My stomach is slowly killing me and I may just be having the start of an exceedingly awful day.

James tore in last night after his patrol with Lily last night – yeah, the silly girl had told him about Amos, I mean really! Would you tell the person who is under the impression that you are their true love that you fancy someone you know they hate? Well, thanks Lily. He saw the rest of us Marauders chilling by the fire, Peter, Remus and I were sat on the comfiest chairs by the fire and Sirius had decided to plonk himself on the floor, resting his back against the front of my chair, and decided to infect us with his black mood.

"Billie." He snapped, "How many sit ups have you done this week?" With that he turned his back to us before lying down on his back, hooking his toes under the sofa and furiously beginning to do sit-ups. I sighed, pushed Padfoot off me and laid down and beginning to exercise as well. Sirius decided he would help by sitting on my feet.

"What's up then Messer Prongs?" He asked, giving me a grin my brother couldn't see. After a string of obscenities flew out of my twins mouth I thought it better I spoke for him.

"Lily fancies Amos." Peter gasped, Remus looked up curiously from his book and even Sirius showed some emotion at the news.

"Aw, man-" He began but James had stopped halfway through a sit up, his muscles tensed horribly, and was staring at me murderously.

"You knew?" An incredulous, angry tone rung through his voice and I thought I heard Peter gulp.

"Yeah, about five minutes before you did." I told him, slightly angry at his childish behaviour. I heard his teeth clink together as he continued to sit up.

"What did she say to you?" Remus' curiosity won over his desire to keep out of it. James hmphed loudly.

"Only that her and Amos were more than friends now so she'd thank me kindly if I left them both alone, she doesn't want me to fancy her – apparently I don't know the meaning of love – and reminded me that the friendship we have now, _had_, was really only for the sake of our badges so we don't have to pretend anymore."

"What a bitch!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Don't call her a bitch Padfoot!" James and I said at exactly the same time his eyes widened and he looked between us both waiting for something else to happen.

"Suppose I deserve it." James mumbled dejectedly.

"James, for the first time ever I disagree with you." Peter spoke up. An appreciative smile twitched the corners of James mouth.

"Thanks wormy."

"It's not like Lily to behave like that." I said, almost to myself. I had paused at the top of my sit up so Sirius pushed me back down again with a cheeky grin.

"Well it happened." Was the last thing James said regarding the matter, he did, however, make me do sit ups until past midnight.

Lily pretended to be asleep when I went up to bed and we barely spoke this morning, I really needed to talk to her before we saw James, I didn't want to pick sides but she wouldn't be my eye and hurried down to breakfast as soon as she could. The walk down to breakfast with the boys was ok. Remus and Sirius had managed to coerce James into making an appearance and in true Marauder fashion he had made sure he looked absolutely perfect. I was awarded with an apologetic hug after last night's sit-up nightmare. We took our usual places at the table in the Great Hall and were soon joined by Lily who shuffled up from further down the table. It was Sirius who dared break the silence.

"Good morning Evans." He greeted her politely but with a stone cold edge to his voice. She visibly flinched. "Little touchy are we?"

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking Black." She replied just as stonily. Then the table fell back into silence, it was even worse than when Sirius and I fell out. Soon something broke the silence, a silky smooth voice whose owner I would very much like to punch.

"Lily?" It enquired and we all spun round to face none other than Amos Diggory. I grabbed Sirius' wrist to stop him from standing up.

" – off Diggory!" The swear word slipped out of his mouth. Diggory looked liked he'd been slapped around the face. "Go play with a – muggle electrical plug and – electrocute yourself and take your – bint with you!" Everyone's mouths fell open, Padfoot usually only used that bad language when he was REALLY mad. Lily cast him an appalled look before getting up and leaving with Amos without a word to any off us, not even me!

"Have a good day everyone." Amos smirked, the expression twisting his face into a gargoyle's. I prayed the wind would change. His goodbye was met by another flow of swear words from both Sirius and James.

"Well I'm sure that went down well. You _charming _things." Remus half snarled from behind his paper. James and Sirius knew not to pay too much attention to what he said, he was still grumpy from the full moon, but shut up all the same.

I can't believe breakfast actually started to look up. I was tempted into smiling by Sirius at least twice. Then the owl mail came. I was as surprised to see Ethelbert as he was to see me when I posted my letter to my parents. So surprised that when the letter was dropped in front of me it took a few moments for me to remember what to do with it.

"Most people open letters Billie." Moony's voice told me sardonically, calling from behind a moving picture of the Gringotts goblins. Sirius and James snickered into their breakfast. I turned to them.

"Funny James?" I asked, "Not all of us get mail everyday." He mustered up a dirty look before ripping open his mail from mum and dad.

_Dear Billie,_

_Glad you're well. _

_Don't worry about not keeping in touch, James and I have been corresponding almost daily so I'm in the loop with everything that has happened. Your grades sound ok, do try to keep up with your brother though, I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you a hand with your homeworks. James has told me about Emmeline, quite a lucky find, I'm sure you'll agree. Your father and I are planning on coming to watch every match when you become the junior England team. James told me about Sirius and your little tiff, you should really be kinder to him, he's had a tough year and is still a guest to our family, whether you're at home or Hogwarts! Congratulations on your potions success, I'm sure you'll think of a good way to use it. However, do not even consider drinking that stuff before a quidditch match, you WILL be disqualified as will the whole team and do you really want to ruin it all for everyone? _

_Billie, you know better than to ask for your father. He is, of course, fine but is a very busy man. It's due to him that you will have a future after Hogwarts so show more respect than to call his work pointless – if his boss saw that then he could get fired! We would both appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself when you do not know what you are saying. _

_Should you need me do try to contact me through James, it's easier that way._

_Stay well. _

_Mum._

I felt my hand clench up, crunching the ball of paper into a ball. James' head snapped up.

"No wonder you don't get post if you treat it like that!" He joked, I saw Remus frown as he put his newspaper down.

"Can I read your letter?" I asked as politely as I could. James' hand automatically tightened around his letter.

"Erm." He replied noncommittally.

"Let her read it Prongs." Sirius told him, reaching to grab for the letter himself.

"No!" The parchment was pulled closer to him.

"Why not?" Remus questioned. His hand too, ready to grab the letter.

"Because, then we'll only get the 'not fair, his letter was better than mine' when really they were just the same!" I looked at my twin, shocked and betrayed.

"Oh really? Take a – look at this and you tell me whose letter was best!" I stood up and threw the tight parchment ball hard at his head before striding off angrily. So James gets a letter everyday? So he's getting better grades than me? So James is captain? So James picked a half decent player? So James told you about me and Sirius? So James is allowed to know about dad but I'm not? (because I bet he is) SO WHAT?

Why doesn't she get that we are different people?

And why did it take a WEEK to write back when James gets a letter everyday.

As I strode out and down to the greenhouses I got a lot of: "Oh look, it's Potter! What's up Potter? You heard about the Ravenclaw team? They're going to squish you – Girls can't play quidditch!" The blue, Ravenclaw voices seemed to drift away as I walked past them, too lost in my angry hurricane to care. I found myself forgetting Herbology and dumping my bag and cloak by the edge of the black lake and beginning to run round in a loose circle. The water was eerily still and I could see my reflection cut sharply like glass into the water's surface. I didn't go to Herbology, I knew Sirius would make up an excuse for me; I'd done it enough times for him.

Now I'm sat, sweaty and awkward, next to Lily. We haven't said anything to each other. She probably doesn't think she needs to explain why she's been such a bitch because James and Sirius swore at her precious Amos. I don't have to say anything to her; I'm not even sure what I would say, "Lily, just go and get the – away to your boyfriend, I'm – off because my parents don't love me as much as they do my brother"?

Everyone is swearing a lot today.

James has tried apologising, not directly of course, but I got a note from Sirius saying that he said sorry. I spun round slightly to see an apologetic smile on his face, whether Sirius charmed it there or not is a different story, then a note from Remus. I didn't write back. He deserves to feel the full power of Billie Potter when she's ticked off.

**8:30pm**

It's just gotten worse.

I didn't think it could.

But it has.

It seems our crap moods have spread throughout the castle. Nobody seems to smile today – maybe I just didn't notice it – but the Marauders' dark clouds seem to hang over everybody's head. James and I made up at lunch it wasn't so much of an "Oh, we're friends again – ace", more, "Oh, you're family, I'd better be nice" if James did feel really, truly bad I missed it. Even Sir seemed to be a bit under the weather as we all trooped in, if professor Jubential couldn't cheer us up it was decided no-one could. I barely spoke to Lily all day, she wasn't at lunch, or dinner and I've only just seen her now: when she came to ruin things even more.

"Erm, James, could I have a word?" She asked quietly, disturbing our study circle ten minutes before she was due to start her patrol with him.

"What do you want?" He retorted, gaze never flickering from the page he was reading. I looked up, however and saw her looking intensely nervous but after the day I'd had I knew better than to think she'd apologise.

"To tell you something . . . alone . . ." James snorted in controlled laughter.

"Whatever you have to say to me can be said with these guys around – surely any hurt to my pride would make you feel better about yourself anyway?" I saw her flinch and felt bad, James was being harsh. Scanning the table I saw Remus wearing a look similar to mine. Lily inhaled deeply and mustered up some courage.

"Fine. I'm not doing patrol with you anymore."

"What?" James choked. "You can't just decide something like that! The whole timetable has to be changed!" Lily shook her head.

"I cleared it all with Professor McGonagall earlier."

"Well isn't that great. I know you think I'm a crap head boy and you don't like me because your nancy boy boyfriend doesn't but we are supposed to act like a team and YOU are supposed to tell me if you plan on changing something like that!" Lily paled as James' voice rose, then she flushed an angry pink.

"Sorry James but I figured you'd just act all immature like you are now!" James actually stood up in anger then thought better of it when everyone else in the common room began to back up against the walls.

"Who the hell am I doing patrols with?" He questioned angrily.

"Mary Ainsworth." She replied quickly, eager to get away.

"Just leave me alone then Evans." He told her coolly before sitting back down and determinedly ignoring her.

Well I wasn't having any of that. I stood up and raced after her as she made to leave.

"Oi! Lily!" I called ad she spun around – deserved dread in her eyes.

"Look, Billie, I have to g-"

"Oh no, you don't have to be anywhere, why can't James do the patrol with Remus?" I was blocking her from getting to where Amos was meeting her.

"Because then we'd have to change the timetable! It was a simple swap this way!" Her eyes were green and deadly.

"As long as you get what you want then?" My suggestion made her eyes sharpen even more.

"What is your problem? It doesn't have anything to do with you – even if it did I'd expect you to at least try to see where I'm coming from! You're supposed to be my best friend!"

I felt an onslaught of anger, if she wanted me to see her side then why hadn't she even bothered to talk to me at all today? If she wanted me to see her side then why didn't she try to make me see it?

"Slightly hard when you avoid talking to me all day because you know you've been a bitch to my brother!" I roared and she took a step forward furiously.

"Because I knew you'd take his side! You always do!" I gasped, appalled.

"Lily for Merlin's sake you told him to drop this imaginary pretence that you've just made up and for him to leave you alone! He – loves you Lily! More than that Amos creep ever will!"

"See! You weren't even there you just took his side of the story!"

"You won't – tell me your side of the story!"

"Because you won't listen! Because you're a – Marauder and just like the rest of them you NEVER listen!" Lily screamed at me before flouncing off. For a second or too I watched her go incredibly shocked that a swear word actually flew off her tongue but then a comeback kicked in.

"Oh yeah?" I shouted down the deserted corridor, "Well, I was a Marauder first!"

I stood there staring for a long while, I don't know exactly how long, wanting her to come back or something, I don't know exactly what I wanted, before feeling a warm hand grip mine.

"Sorry." I whispered.

"Tough – on her. You are a Marauder and it's time she learnt that if she can't beat us then she's got no choice but to join us." Another one of his warm hands pulled me into a hug and I smelt that vague wet dog smell, and his old cigarettes.

I pretended not to notice the letter from my parents burning away in the fire where James had put it as we walked past.

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A/N: Ooohhh.


	21. It Was Him!

A/N: Evening/Morning/Afternoon all :)

sorry, took me a while to update this time, not the six months it used to take me but still . . . Thank you to: paramore1351, Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe and of course, the amazing Siriusly luvs Harry Potter!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Quite pleased with this, got some snape action in here, mcgonagall makes an appearance and there's a lovely bit of Sirius/Billie at the end!

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**11****th**** Oct**

**It was him!**

**9:00am**

Things between Lily and I are bad. I shared with Sirius last night, an increasing habit I should probably try to break out of before tongues start wagging. James offered but after Remus disclosed that his little night-time fart habit (they STINK) has gotten worse, much to James' embarrassment and Padfoot's amusement, I decided to stay away. I woke up first this morning and decided that I'd try and sneak up to the girls dorm and be changed and out before Lily awoke, plus, being sat around whilst my brother and his friends got dressed was hardly appropriate. Unfortunately, it seems Lily and I had exactly the same idea, she froze like a rabbit caught in the headlights as I walked through. After staring at me for a few seconds as I grabbed a handful of my clothes and started to pull them on she departed into the bathroom – wordlessly. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable getting changed in the same room, for six years we've gotten changed together and now I felt the need to shy away and find my own little corner. It's like there was something itchy in the air, I wonder if she felt it too?

I decided in the early hours of the morning, (curled up with Sirius) that I wasn't going to write back to my parents, was it worth it? Just to get another slightly snotty reply? No. If they needed me or I needed them then we would communicate through James. I'd just have to find another reason to visit Ethelbert so he didn't bite me again. In the half light I could just make out the slither of a scar where his beak had slit the skin. Yeah, that owl needed regular appeasement.

**5:30pm**

Darling James and I have just been granted our very first detention of the year and it's all Diggory's fault. Merlin's nipples I hate him. In fact, I hate him more than I hate Snape and he's the person we have supposedly hexed.

James and I were on our way up from Herbology, late as James had requested we stay behind to help clear up the mess Sirius was planning on leaving, there was compost and leaves EVERYWHERE, when we were cornered by Professor McGonagall. I think James was just about to raise a hand to greet her when her murderous voice rang out.

"POTTERS!"

I think we both soiled ourselves. I definitely did. My eyes flicked to James' automatically, his expression of utter befuddlement did nothing to make me feel any better.

"Good evening professor?" James dared.

"My office now! I am disgraced at you both!" We followed her tentatively, keeping just out of earshot so I could ask James:

"What have you done?" I breathed. He looked affronted.

"What have YOU done?"

With a nasty look from McGonagall we entered her office. Sometimes the cosy tartan affair she was going for, other times a place of hell. I have to admit my first instinct was to laugh; it did look extremely hilarious, I remember knowing it wasn't us but thinking that whoever did it was a god. Severus Snape's nose . . . had been enlarged. Instead of the usually abnormal greasy hook that usually graces his pallid face half an anchor hung there, white and shiny. I could see him straining to keep his head upright against the weight of it. It was only after that shock and the intense biting of the tongue that followed that I noticed Amos – Diggory standing in the corner of the room, an intense smirk on his face. I met James' eye again and caught a glimpse of the awful realisation that I was experiencing.

"I am furious with you both." Professor McGonagall began, taking a seat behind her scarcely organised desk, "You, Mr Potter, are Head Boy and to be exercising activities like this on other students is action worthy enough for you to lose your badge and you captaincy." I felt James gulp. "And you too Billie. Do not expect to be let of the hook, your record is highly worthy of a place on my house team." I blushed but my embarrassment soon turned to anger as Amos stepped forward a little, reminding Minnie of why he was here. "Mr Diggory here came and made me aware that he saw you both hexing poor Mr Snape as you left Herbology now this-"

"Sorry, what?" James asked, looking between Diggory and Professor McGonagall shocked and confused.

"Mr Snape, James! Both of you causing his nose to . . . swell." I turned to look at Snape again he flushed horribly and I thought I heard Diggory snicker and I glanced quickly at him if only Professor McGonagall would've looked at his face then, she would have seen the way his eyes glimmered an known it wasn't us!

"Professor! We've only just come out of Herbology! We stayed behind to clear up all Padfo- Sirius' mess. How could've it been us?" Against my natural instinct to let James do all the talking I spoke up and Minnie's face flattened momentarily before she frowned again.

"Can anybody prove you were there?"

_Damn._

"Professor Sprout was taking Peter Pettigrew up to the Hospital Wing, a coincidence their friend would need a trip up there and would have to be accompanied by the teacher, leaving them free to-"

"That's quite enough Mr Diggory!" Professor McGonagall cut him of irate. Her distaste for him almost made me smile, the feeling was intensified as her looked down at the floor embarrassed. "I'm sorry James and Billie-" We both cried out in outrage, "-No buts! The evidence is stacking up against you both and I can hardly pardon you on your track record against Mr Snape can I?"

"Check our wands!" James exclaimed holding his out firmly, "And then check his, lying scum!"

"Mr Potter!" Professor McGonagall stood up sharply, "Your detention will be on Monday and I will be informing Dumbledore of this!" With a flurry of her hands we ushered ourselves out of the little tartan office and out into the contrastingly stone corridor. As soon as the door shut behind us James turned on Diggory.

"What the hell is your problem?" He spat, as loudly as he dared. We were squared up against each other, Snape looking disinterested, shrinking his nose back to its original behemoth size. I nearly leant forward and smacked Diggory's lights out as he began to laugh.

"Just wanted to bring you back down a bit Potter, let you know, theirs a new king of the school now – me and I plan on taking every little thing from you. You might've noticed that your little girlfriend Lily is now, how to say this? Mine. I don't plan on stopping until I've got that shiny little badge on our chest." He reached out to touch James' Head Boy badge but James stepped put of his reach with all the speed of a seeker.

"What does Billie have to do with all this?" He asked, eyes mad but calculating.

"She upset my Lily." Diggory said simply, smirking at the effects the words had on James.

"Just leave us alone." I said coldly, "You too Snape." I turned my glare to him and he gave a little nod, my hand found James' elbow and I led him away silently, steadying him as he shook with anger.

"Oh and Billie!" Diggory's humourless voice called as we were halfway down the corridor, getting away from them. "Lily thinks you're spending far too much time with one Sirius Black." It was James' turn to grab me as I went for my wand, intending on hexing the daylights out of both of them.

The walk up to the Dorm was clouded with curses. I couldn't understand why Amos Diggory wanted us in detention so bad, we hadn't done ANYTHING to him, if it had been Snape I'd have got it but Diggory just decided to plonk himself into our lives and take away the little normality we upheld. I hate him.

"Whoa! What's happened?" Was Sirius' eloquent remark as we burst through the door, steam flowing from our ears.

"We've just been given detention!" James cried dramatically, throwing his arms up in the air.

"Why?" Remus asked, putting down a book for the first time in his life to listen to us.

"Well!" I began hotly.

"We tidied up after Herbology-"

"-Because you made such a pigging mess-"

"-And then we were heading on up here when Minnie came flying down the corridor with her pantaloons in a paddy-"

"-And we were like, ooh who's the loser that has to deal with that? Which turned into Merlin what have we done-"

"-Because we didn't do anything, honest-"

"-So she calls us into her office and there's Snape and Diggory in there-"

"-Snape had been hexed, Pads his nose-"

"-And starts saying that WE hexed Snape, how could we have hexed Snape when-"

"-Hilarious Pads, hil-ar-ious-"

"-We were down in Herbology, turns out Diggory had gotten Snape to Hex himself to get us into trouble-"

"-Bloody did as well!-"

"-And was saying he saw us do it because he wants James' badge and Lily and all that crap-"

"-Told us after, nearly smacked him one-"

"-Me too, told him to leave us alone, don't think he's gonna though. Do you James?"

"Nah."

We both flopped down on Sirius' bed, exhausted.

"Get your own bed!" He exclaimed to deaf ears.

"He was after James' badge?" Remus asked carefully, he'd managed to prise that from our babble. We nodded.

"Or so he told us. Wants to be Head Boy, can't imagine why." James sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. He looked even worse than Moony and it was only three days since the full moon!

"What are you going to do about it?" Peter asked, his head, still a little blue from the plant venom, poked out from behind the toilet door.

"Nothing." James stated quietly, Sirius frowned but I saw Remus' quirk up the other way.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"Nothing I can do." My twin replied, heaving himself off the bed as if he weighed eighty stone not a measly eight. He moved over to his bed and pulled the curtains shut effectively ending that conversation, I expect him to do something, he was probably planning in the confines of his bed right now. After forbidding Sirius to annoy my brother, to which I received really rather cute puppy dog eyes, I made my way up to the girls' dorm, relieved at finding it empty, I think we stormed past Lily on our way up to the dorms, I remember James giving somebody a dirty look.

I just think I need some Weird Sisters in me.

Might get some work done.

Or I might just sit and enjoy.

The peace.

**10:30pm**

I have just done something INCREDIBLY Sirius Black. Really. But I'm not ashamed. (And I think the real Sirius Black was quite impressed)

I decided to go for a walk, why not? I did some work, the parchment was whispering evil things to me so I thought I'd better write on it, shut it up, you know? Well, my walk started out ok, I didn't tell any of the boys I was off, didn't fancy anyone's company. Yes, my walk was just dandy until I chose the wrong turning and ended up walking where a group of girls, Hufflepuffs, were talking about something that made me sick.

"Will he be back yet?" One of them preened, unaware of my approach.

"Oh I hope so. That body of his, to. Die. For." I thought they were talking about Sirius, I stopped in an alcove, wanting to hear what they had to say about (my?) Padfoot.

"That Lily Evans is one hell of a lucky girl!"

Ok. Not Padfoot then, Diggory. I nearly threw up.

"He doesn't like her that much!" The first one insisted, "He only wants her because she's Potter's."

The other girls let out a low whistle.

"James Potter, now, that is the definition of fine." Another girl, one that hadn't spoken before, how many of them were there?

"Yeah but don't you think he's become way less attractive since he started fancying that Evans? I think Amos is the new Potter."

"What? No! Potter! His nose is a work of art!"

My hand automatically reached for my nose and I laughed quietly, what were they talking about? James and I both knew we had the characteristic long-ish Potter nose along with the hair, eyes, skin colour, build, well, pretty much everything – I never knew people found it attractive. On James anyway.

"Sirius Black." Another said randomly, a collection of wistful sighs broke out.

"He smiled at me today . . . in Herbology!" One shrieked happily.

"Pah! He was probably smiling at his girlfriend Billie." The first girl bit, I could hear a happy bubble pop. A sudden curiosity to know who this girl was almost overcame me. A frown touched my forehead and I felt glad no-one was there to see this.

"They go out?"

A laughed bounced down the corridor, a cackle.

"No! Have you seen her? Black's got his pick of the girls why would he choose her?"

This really wasn't doing anything for my self esteem so I got up to leave but not before I heard:

"Well Amos has told me that he's got plans for the Marauders, we have a new idol to worship girls and when he gets bored of Evans I want to be the first in there!" That annoying first girl declared as I hurried away. Well that stint of eavesdropping had left my mind reeling. Amos Diggory as the new James Potter? If James was refusing to do anything the Marauders could count themselves lucky that I was.

I caught the little rat as he was giving a long winded and sickly sweet good night to Lily by the Statue of the One Eyed Witch. Blushing furiously, Lily half skipped back off to the common room and Amos strode off in the other direction, hands in his pockets, attempting a James Potter smirk but failing tragically. I daren't breathe as he passed me, dumb enough not to notice I was there and just as he was about to turn the corridor and meet his new fan girls I acted. With a swish of my already drawn wand Amos' nose grew, and grew and grew and grew. I heard the fake but funny screams of the girls waiting for him and his low cries of despair enhanced by his foghorn nostrils.

"Brilliant." The smooth voice made me jump a foot in the air, I spun around heart pounding to find Sirius pulling off the cloak and smirking, but properly. "Did I scare you?"

"Do you want me to have a heart attack?" I retorted playfully angry.

"Only if I could give you the kiss of life to bring you back." His smirk grew more pronounced and Sirius-ish as I aimed a soft punch to his abdominal muscles.

"Quit flirting and tell me why you've been tailing me around!" He looked at me, appalled.

"I have not been following you! I merely went for a walk to come and bring you back before you get another detention that you won't be able to provide an alibi for. I frowned as we started walking back to the Fat Lady.

"You do believe me don't you, about not hexing Snape?" I asked quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping portraits on each side of the wall. His eyes met mine, reassuringly twinkle-less.

"Of course I -!" I a quick sweeping motion brought me and Sirius under the invisibility cloak together, pressed up against the wall chest to chest – far to close for most people's comfort. We seemed to be stuck there for ages as Filch shuffled his way down the corridor, his blasted cat staring at us the whole time. "Of course I believe you." Padfoot smiled as the old caretaker reached the end of the corridor.

"Oh, and by the way, Billie," He whispered quite mischievously into my ear as we reached the sleeping fat lady, "You have a lovely nose."

"Sirius!"

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! I've been thinking, do you guys have any ideas for the story? i am a few chapters ahead writing it so it might be a while before they appear but please, go ahead, inspire me! Also, the chapter i'm writing at the moment is quite a biggie and i don't want to rush it so update time might be a little longer than usual, maybe.

one more thing . . . REVIEW :)


	22. One Week

A/N: Hello everyone, sorry it's taken me a little longer to update than usually but the chapter i've been writing is about 4,500 words long so it's taken me a while! Thanks to Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe for reviewing again, it means a lot :) anyway, i hope you enjoy it, and Merry christmas!

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**12****th**** Oct**

**One week**

**2:00pm**

One week. That's all we have, one week to become the sleekest, most powerful Quidditch team Hogwarts has seen. Ever. Next Saturday we play Ravenclaw and we don't plan on letting them score once.

We've all stuck to James' exercise regime, it shows, Sammie, Emmeline and my stomachs are solid muscle, the little fat that Emmeline had in September has been replaced by a wall of thick muscle and I can tell she's very happy about it. Emmeline truly is an unstoppable keeper; in fact, it's starting to get frustrating trying to get one past her! At least it's pushing us chasers to work harder, we've slipped back into each other's mindset now, we know exactly where we need to go to receive the quaffle and who is going to throw it where and when. James seems impressed. Our beaters are pretty formidable now as well. Martin has improved his speed, a lot, now peaking at where he was last year when we had our winning streak of, oh how many wins did we have? Every single game. Peter's pretty nifty too, the muscles in his arms now looked larger and it shows in his playing, I would watch your back with the two brothers around.

The abuse we're getting is brilliant. To be honest, I think the rivalry before the match sometimes almost beats the game itself, and with so much at stake this year it's better than ever. Ravenclaw fans seem to revelling in the fact that James and I are almost always together now, with Remus, Sirius and Peter of course, and have taken to harassing us in the corridors.

"Potter! Potter! You've got no chance! They're gonna bury you! Girls can't play quidditch! Your goalie's going to be in the hospital wing when we've finished with her!" And then there was the classic techniques of the blue team wandering around and trying crush James' fingers. We were in floods of tears laughing today at their last attempt: Oliver Gove, their captain, a tall studious looking boy with a shock of spiky white blonde hair, had attempted to drop a large book on James hand but my brother, catching on quickly as usual, moved just as the book fell so it landed right on Gove's foot, probably breaking a few bones in the process. Of course, there are the other traditional methods of trying to debilitate the opposing team. Sammie says she's had John take her to the hospital wing four times this week because people have been "accidentally" spilling their potions on her.

"She's just lucky that none of the Ravenclaws are very good at making potions." Stony jumped into our conversation making me laugh and causing Sammie to turn a pleasant pink.

"You know you love our little trips to Madame Pomfrey John!" She insisted.

"Oh yes," He replied, smirking and deliberately banging elbows with her, "Me, you and the smell of your burning flesh – the definition of euphoria."

I laughed before dropping back to chat to Emmeline. She really has transformed as a player, and a person. Instead of the ridiculously excitable (slightly annoying) sixth year that joined our team in September she is a hardened, focused Quidditch player. Her attitude now is excellent, I saw her walking down the corridor to one of her lessons, completely ignoring all the insults aimed at her and when someone, I think it must have been a blue player, threw a ball of parchment hard in her direction James and I couldn't help but share a triumphant grin as she caught it neatly and stated.

"Not a lot gets past me, better luck next time." Before aiming it back at a leisurely speed. James decided he couldn't have done it better himself.

Our practice went well today and I think after one more, our mid-week usual, I think we'll easily be ready to take anyone on. It's just a matter of whether Ravenclaw are ready to play us.

I haven't spoken to Lily much yet. Asides from: "Have you got a spare quill I can borrow?" and "Have you seen my jumper?" both answers being yes or no, we haven't spoken at all. Not that I care obviously. I don't care. If she wants to spend all her time with that Hufflepuff scumbag then it's her choice. I don't care. I've got the boys, my original best friends and they seem happy to have me around, happier than Lily ever seemed anyway. Thing is, last year, I was all for Amos and Lily going out. They were good for each other, the relationship was . . . healthy? But now, well, with what we know about Amos Diggory, it's so not. I just wish I knew the reason Amos and her broke up before – it's only a matter of time before she remembers why and they split up again. I hope it's soon. I just don't get why she was so harsh to James, she was finally giving him the time of day and then BANG "I hate you leave me (us) alone"? It just doesn't make sense!

At least James wasn't too heartbroken, granted, he couldn't be in the same room as her for a few days and is still refusing eye contact but he's done everything she asked without much fuss. Every night now he patrols with the Hufflepuff prefect, Jess Guetting he says, although a huge slag is alright when she's on her own – apparently she's told James that she only dresses the way she does to fit in and admires the way Lily and I don't give two hoots about the way we're viewed by her little gang leader Sarah Freeth (I can't physically stand her). She wants to be a healer, she said to James a few nights in. Whereas all the other members in her gang just want Sirius Black in their pants. It seems Jess might be alright after all. Asides from speaking to Lily during the Prefect meetings, from which I noticed he has begun to return looking rather shaken, and when teachers are around he has granted her wish and left her well alone. The last words he said to Diggory were:

"Look here, I've been asked rather impolitely to leave you and Lily alone so I'd thank you kindly if you'd do the same."

This was when Amos decided he'd like to add an extra ingredient to James potion so it would explode. Unfortunately, Diggory didn't get a detention but after James' request (that everyone heard) he backed off a little, had to if he still wanted to be the king of the school and the respect of his slowly growing amount of subjects.

Amos Diggory, I need a more degrading nickname for him must remind myself to run that past Sirius later. Amos Diggory + degrading nickname needs to wait until he plays us. Just wait.

**11:30pm **

Sirius Black is actually like a dog. I know he is a dog. But really, you give him the littlest bit of a bone and he'll pull and pull until you let go.

I'm talking metaphorically of course. Sirius really wanted me to tell him about my strange reactions last night even though THERE WERE NO REAL REACTIONS! I'll explain.

It was around half nine, Remus and James had gone off to patrol with their respective partners and left Sirius, Pete and I sat around the fire doing homework. At least I was doing homework, Wormy had decided that attempting it was fruitless with no James or Remus there to give him the answers, I mean help him, and my darling Padfoot just doesn't do homework during the appropriate time to do it, e.g. not during lesson. After whining for half an hour that I was being boring and wasn't talking to him Sirius decided to take a more practical approach to getting my attention in the form of throwing all my work on the floor and sitting on me.

"Ow! Padfoot gerroff!" I cried out as one of his elbows dug into me when he was trying to get comfortable.

"You weren't talking to me." He replied simply, settling so he was laid on my lap, legs hanging effortlessly off the chair arm. I stares down at him in partial disbelief.

"I was doing my homework because some of us," I flicked him sharply on the nose, "Can't do their homework five minutes before class and still get an O!" He grinned and I heard the screechy titters of a few girls observing the scene.

"You know you love me."

"That's why I wasn't talking to you, of course." I tried to shove him off but he was too strong.

"Of course." He cleared his throat quite ceremoniously and I gave a worried looking Peter a desperate look to which he grinned as well. "Mr Padfoot would like to request that Miss Billie and He could talk about the events of last night." I sighed and he smiled contentedly knowing he was about to get his way.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked a little confused.

"Your nose."

I didn't blush. At all.

"You lied to me!" I attempted to push him off me again suddenly not really liking where this conversation was going.

"To save your embarrassment, although you and James do turn a lovely pink when you blush." I flushed a little again and he winked up at me. "Well, I don't really want to talk about your nose, just about what those girls said and your reaction to it."

"What do you mean my reaction to it?" I questioned tentatively.

"Why did you stay to listen in the first place?" He replied quickly, flashing me a toothy grin as I looked up, unsure of how many people were listening in. Just Pete, unless the other Gryffindors had supersonic hearing.

"Because," I racked my brains trying to remember all the events of last night, "Because, I thought they were talking about you or James and I find it funny when girls say they fancy you, reminds me why I don't." I laughed a little at his joking hurt face.

"Right, well what about the face you pulled when you realised it wasn't me – or James."

"That was my 'trying not to throw up face'," I smiled as he frowned, "You know Amos Diggory makes me sick." He nodded, thinking.

"Why did you look so upset when that one said that I was probably smiling at 'my girlfriend' which was you?" I gave him a shocked look.

"I wasn't upset, if that's what you're thinking! I wanted to know what girl it was and why she thought we were that close-"

"You ARE that close." Peter laughed to himself, gesturing to the way Sirius was lounging quite happily on my lap. Sirius laughed at my horror-struck face at Peter's betrayal.

"Are not!" I found myself half shouting back childishly before trying to push Sirius of me again.

"You were upset, why? Because we don't date?" He grabbed my hands that were pushing at his shoulder, trying to free my legs and smiled up at me, a glint of something mischievous in his eyes.

"No!" I wrenched my hands from his and folded them securely, "You wish."

"I wish! I wasn't the one frowning and looking sad!"

"Prove it! Oh wait, you can't because you were under the cloak!" It was funny how my voice diminuendo-ed through the sentence.

"Do you want to go on a date Billie?" I was given one of his charming smiles. One that I'm sure would melt the hearts of many girls . . . IF THEY ACTUALLY LIKED HIM.

"Shut up Padfoot! And get off my legs you're squishing them." In hindsight it would have been better to have him on my legs as he swung himself up and actually sat on my knee, facing me, his head dangerous inches away from mine.

"You just had some very weird reactions. That's all." His lips twitched up as I tried again to get him off me.

"Like WHAT?" I was beginning to lose my temper with him even though I knew he was just winding me up. His low chuckle was joined by Peter's and I dodged around Padfoot's body to give him a scathing look.

"Sorry Billie," He laughed, "But you two argue like a married couple!" I was pulled back by Sirius' warm hands.

"You did have some weird reactions." He smirk grew more pronounced as I started trying to beat him off me with clenched fists.

"Padfoot, stop molesting Billie!" James' commanding but amused voice broke up our fight. This Padfoot leapt off my lap and laughed as I ran into my brother's arms.

"Keep him away from me!" I whispered, moving as far away from Sirius as I could get. Remus moved past us giving me a comforting hand on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, we'll keep him on a tight leash." His little pun made me smile and I turned to give him a hug too.

When Sirius sunk himself back into the chair we had been 'sat' in I deemed it safe to go collect my work that had been thrown all over the common room.

"Good night all!" I called as I reached the stairs.

"OI!" Was the return cry I got as I turned to ascend. Sirius. I spun back round a little contemptuously. The puppy dog eyes were back and I swear I heard a few girls make little aww sounds. "Don't I get a good night hug?" I sighed deeply before crossing back over to hug him. "Love you Billie." He smiled sweetly and as I reached the stairs he called out again: "Billie! Don't you love me?" I gave James and Remus a long-suffering look to which they both shrugged, biting back laughter. Sirius did look adorable, but I know that was just the dog in him.

"No." Was all I said before jogging up here unable to stop smiling at the little pouting face I imagined him to be wearing.

I'm not sure what he's on though. I most definitely not upset about not being in a relationship with him, anyone who wants to be in a relationship with that nutcase is insane. INSANE.

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A/N: is that what you think Billie? hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll try my damndest to update for christmas but it might not happen! Reviews are as good as christmas presents :)


	23. Ginger Newts

A/N: Hello there guys, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, I know I did!

Thank you to,** siriusblack4evaxX** and **Siriusly luvs Harry Potter** for reviewing ect. ALSO, thanks to **pinkrose14** for beta-ing this chapter! Enjoy!

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**14****th****Oct.**

**Ginger Newts**

**7:30pm**

**Detention sucks – J**

That was the note that has just appeared on my parchment. It's James' and my detention today, about 45 minutes in, we are both bored stiff and we have another 30 minutes of this. Does she have nothing better to do with her life than punish us for something we didn't even do? I'm so writing back, I'm glad James has finally figured out the charm for this, we'll never have to throw balls of parchment across the classroom again!

You love it really. Otherwise you wouldn't have had so many – B

**But I deserved them, and Padfoot was there! – J**

Oh that's real kind James, trying to say Padfoot is more fun than me? Charming. – B

**You know I didn't mean it like that! But I do kinda miss him, and he's ignoring me through the mirrors – J**

Probably busy with Remus and Pete – B

**Jealous? – J**

I glanced over at him and he was smirking in my direction, I hate it when he does that! He wasn't even there last night.

No, Sirius can please himself – B

**Aww, c'mon Billie, I saw what you were up to last night all cuddles and love – J**

Actually I think you'll find he was restricting my movement because I was trying to thump him off of me. – B

I couldn't help cracking a smile as James had to hide his laughter as a bad cough and Professor McGonagall shot him a MNDL.

**If looks could kill . . . – J**

You still wouldn't be dead, she has a soft spot for you (like all the other professors) – B

**Oh do shut up Billie I can name loads of them that like you best! – J**

Who? – B

**The Jubemaster – J**

That doesn't class as loads James – B

I shot him a sarcastic look and I got one back.

**Professor Kettleburn. – J**

That makes two and she only likes me because she fancies Sirius and he always insists on partnering with me – B

**Hah! There's Slughorn of course . . . – J**

Not even slightly humorous! – B

**You know I am! Oh, by the way, in your opinion, who does Rosmerta like better, me or Pads? – J**

It was my turn to stifle a laugh, I could just picture them arguing over it deep into the night.

Umm . . . –B

Best to wind him up, after all, is that not what sisters are for?

**Me then? Oh thanks Billie! – J**

No, actually, I think she has a soft spot for Remus – B

**Moony? Don't make me laugh! – J**

Why not? – B

**Not nastily! I just thought she was more of a sexy, funny guy type (me) – J**

If you mean funny in the head then sure! And sexy? Yeah, Remus – B

**You think Remus is sexy? – J**

James was frowning over his piece of parchment, I "coughed" in amusement.

Sure. – B

**Since when? – J**

I dunno, he just has commonly un-admired sexiness – B

**Oh. But he fancies that Ravenclaw girl? – J**

Yeah, it's all just a cover for our relationship, because we don't want Sirius to get hurt – B

I watched a light switch on somewhere behind his eyes.

**Stop winding me up! – J**

You believed me though! – B

**Didn't! – J**

You did! Though, don't get me wrong Remus Lupin can be regarded as a pretty fine specimen – B

James looked over, agape and with a puckered brow.

**By girls? – J**

No James, by potted bloody plants! – B

**Whatever. – J**

"Oh, James . . ." Both our heads cracked up as McGonagall spoke for the first time since telling us to sit down. "Miss Evans has told me to remind you that you have a prefect meeting tomorrow . . . don't know why she couldn't tell me that herself . . ." Her voice trailed off and I saw James shift uncomfortably on his chair.

"Of course Professor." He mumbled back.

Are you ok? – B

I hastily scribbled over to him then watched his face twist in a light anguish.

**Yeah, fine? – J**

You can't lie to me, I know it's getting you down, hey, it's upsetting me too . . . I don't know why she did it – B

**Because she's a bitch, ok? I spent six years chasing after her only to find myself over the moon that she had agreed to be friends with me because we were working together – you know, I thought this would be my year – then she goes and does that. I never was able to fathom her out but I certainly don't get her now – J**

James, it's ok, it'll get better for all of us – B

**No it won't. Not until that – Amos Diggory is buried alive! – J**

Listen! It WILL get better, Diggory is not going anywhere fast and we just have to take it, I understand what you mean, I miss Lily too but I'm dealing with it – B

**I don't miss her – J**

You can't lie to me! We all know you miss her, why you hate Diggory so much, it's because he's got your girl – B

**I never claimed to Lily being my girl, it was just assumed – J**

Did people assume wrong? – B

**No – J**

I love you, you know that? – B

**I love you too, I just wish she loved me. Merlin, what a loser I am. – J**

You're not a loser James, just slightly mentally challenged when it comes to Lily Evans – B

**Speak for yourself! – J**

True though! – B

**Yeah well, at least I don't love Padfoot! – J**

My head twisted to look at him, my expression outraged. He smiled again.

That is just low James. Besides, I like Remus haven't we already discussed this? – B

**Wouldn't say that, Pads will get jealous – J**

Then I'd let him, nothing can stop mine and Moony's love – B

We both erupted into a fit of giggles and were shot with a MNDL.

"Oh you know what! Just leave! But if I ever catch the two of you doing anything like that then I really will expel you!" Her words, although sharp were spoken quite softly, "I know it wasn't you." A flood of relief washed through me as I stood to go, if she knew then why punish us? I opened my mouth to expostulate but was stopped by James' little head shakes. We helped ourselves to a Ginger Newt each much to her horror. "Did I ask?" she gasped as James held his between his teeth, trying to wrestle the tartan tin lid back on.

"Professor." He put on his most charming voice and bowed his head as he looked down at her, sat squarely behind her desk, "I think we are on biscuit terms by now." I nodded enthusiastically.

"Biscuits?" The warm voice of Professor Jubential floated through the door. I turned and laughed, potentially VERY unattractively as my mouth was full of biscuit, finding it quite funny how this man was now making comedy entrances in my life, like a writer's favourite character that he or she just cannot resist throwing into every chapter. I didn't care though, I do love the guy. He wormed his way past James and I his arms full of papers. "Here, Minerva, I've marked all these like you asked, so . . . can I have a ginger newt too?" James and I snickered as he batted his eyelashes shamelessly to grant himself a biscuit.

"FINE!" We all jumped as she shouted her consent.

"Score!" Sir's hand reached deftly into the tin and biscuit claimed we all scuttled out of her room before she made us give them back.

"Good act Sir." James complimented as soon as we were out of earshot (the other end of the corridor, she has ears like a bat's!)

"Thank you Mr Potter, hope you enjoyed your detention –I'll see you both on Wednesday!"

I do love Professor Jubential, but not as much as I love ginger newts.

* * *

A/N: That was probably rather irritating to read with all the notes being about a mile apart from the other (siriusly get the lining spacing sorted!) but i hoped you liked it :) until next time . . .


	24. Note

A/N: Hello there everyone, here's the next entry in Billie's diary :) it's quite a short chapter but I like it - some well deserved butt kicking here!

A big thank you to **siriusblack4evaxX **again! :) Enjoy!

* * *

**17****th**** Oct**

**Note**

**1:00am**

Just got back from a rather brilliant astronomy lesson.

"Me and you Billie?" James checked before we entered, perfectly normally, we always pair together.

"Sure." I replied smiling, we usually have a good time in Astronomy.

"Whaaat?" Sirius pushed his way between us, James and I let out tired sighs. "I wanted to go with Billie!" He complained, seemingly oblivious to the fact I was stood right next to him. I made my presence know in the form of a sharp elbow to the ribcage. "Ouch!" He muttered, rubbing his side.

"Don't be ridiculous, Billie and I always pair together in this lesson!" James swatted him on the head.

"So what? A bit of change never hurt anyone!" He moaned. I caught James' eye quickly and leant round the back of Sirius to pat him on the shoulder, when people change it hurts.

"James and I are partners Sirius, we always have been." I told him slightly more softly than James had. He turned to face me and pulled his puppy dog face – really, it was getting old – I was becoming immune.

"I just thought you'd want to spend some time with me, that's all." He sniffed morosely and I snorted in disbelief.

"Padfoot! I spend nearly every waking moment in your company! Why would I force another hour on myself?" He gave me one hurt look before sloping back to where Moony was. A sudden twist of guilt knotted my insides and I turned to watch his facial expression as we sat down in the tower.

"Don't worry about him," James was smiling slightly as I curved back to face him, "Always loved being the little drama queen." I felt an involuntary smile split my mouth.

We were handed a star chart by Professor Hector, with quite a scowl on his face, he seems to disapprove of James and I working together. In fact, he seems to disapprove of James and I altogether. We set to work straight away, we are a team: me and James. We took it in turns to write and while one of us was writing the other was looking up and the stars, memorising their shapes and their placement in the scarily large black sky. Sirius kept deliberately meeting my eye hen turning away, pretending to be sad. One time James saw and he scribbled something on a piece of parchment so I couldn't see. From the other side of the tower I heard Moony roar with laughter whilst Sirius threw James his most petulant look.

"What did it say?" I made a grab for the sheet but James pulled it away.

"Nothing." He grinned infuriatingly.

"Tell me!" I demanded outstretching a hand for the parchment.

"No!"

"But it was about me!" Turning, I saw Sirius and Remus now in the midst of a little argument. Remus' eyes still bore the traces of his amusement. "Remus laughed!"

"Just leave it Billie." James tried to soothe.

"Let me see it!"

"No!"

"Let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let-"

"Fine!" He tossed me the scrap of parchment and I smiled in triumph, "You won't like it." I was warned.

**Oi! Pads! **It read.

**Stop mooning over Billie and do some Merlin damned work! **

_Shut up Potter._

"James!" I cried in annoyance.

"Sorry . . ."

I forgave him eventually, because he did pull a very sorry little face . . . Or maybe I should join the population of the rest of the world who can't stay mad at James Potter for any length of time.

So we continued on with our chart, plotting dots and lines in accordance with the sky above. We'd nearly finished when that _bloody note _came around. People had been passing it round for ages. I'd seen them out of the corner of my eye, whispering feverishly before handing it over to the next pair. It wasn't supposed to reach the hands of James and I, that much was obvious but the secretive passing had been annoying us both and when it came near I nodded to James to snatch it out of our neighbour's hands as he passed it on.

"Hey! You can't read that!" He told us, half angry, mostly worried. James didn't retaliate, he just began to read.

_Dear Seventh Year Student Body,_

_You may have been wondering about the situation regarding the beautiful Miss Evans and I. Well, the rumours are true. We do go out again. _

_I'm sure you'll all agree that this is a huge blow to the supposedly almighty James Potter. Please, I ask you to try to be sympathetic, the poor boy is probably going through a tough time at the moment, what with his "girl" swanning off to be with me (where she belongs, might I add) and his sister and best mate leaving him to go do stuff behind his back. I hear even Remus Lupin has his eye on someone and is due to fly the nest anytime soon. Poor Potter. _

_Amos Diggory. _

As soon as I'd finished reading I felt a nasty red flush burn my cheeks. Anger, not embarrassment. How dare he? James' furious eyes met mine.

"He is messing with the wrong people." My brother snarled before standing up abruptly. From my place on the floor I could see his irate expression; he looked oddly impressive against the dark map of stars behind him.

"Pooter!" Professor Hector began to tell him off but was stopped when James gave him a fake but reassuring smile.

"Sorry, professor," His tone was calm hiding the inside turmoil. "Could I just say something?" Hector nodded, gaping like a goldfish, no one can say no to James.

"Dear Seventh Year Student Body," He began with a dark glint in his eyes. A shared glance between Sirius and I meant this was going to be pretty good. "You may have been wondering about the situation concerning the – faced Mr Diggory and I." He seemed to notice something in someone's face and paused, holding the note aloft. "What? You didn't know about this Evans?" A murmur of disgust swooped around the females in the room. Diggory went a little red. "Want me to read it too you? Your boyfriend wrote me a little note."

"Don't Potter." Diggory hissed.

"Are you sure? Everyone else has read it, why not?" James' voice was cold and collected, he was like an ice man, and Diggory was powerless in the situation. "Whatever you wish Diggory. I do believe I should clear some things up for everyone else though. No. People, this is not a huge blow to me, I couldn't care less. Lily and I have never been friends and I guess I've come up tops in the situation anyway. You might have a few followers Amos but I've got the Marauders and we don't need people to like us to be happy. In fact, we find it a lot more fun when people don't like us and try to humiliate us – thanks for the entertainment. I don't patrol with Lily anymore but I couldn't care less, I get to spend time with the lovely Miss Guetting," I sought out Jess and she blushed furiously, choosing to ignore the jealous looks she was getting off the Hufflepuff gang she was forced to be a part of. "Someone I wouldn't usually get a chance to talk to any other time. Lily Evans isn't 'my girl' she never as been. You chose to put that label on her Diggory, so don't forget it when things go wrong . . ." He coughed, "(again)" I laughed along with many other students as Diggory flushed red as a beetroot. "Sirius and Billie . . . Well . . ." He looked between us both fondly before resting his gaze on Padfoot, "He wishes."

"Do not!" Came the indignant reply. More people joined in laughing.

"Remus Lupin . . . trust me, as soon as we find out whom this mysterious girl is we'll be throwing him out of the nest." Moony snorted, "We will!" James told him smirking. "So yeah, Seventh Year Student Body don't pity me, pity yourselves because sorry guys but I seem to have stolen the four most amazing people in the year and made them my friends . . . Oh and Diggory, you don't have to get Snape to hex himself again, you need a better plan, Minnie saw straight through that." He turned and gave a mock salute to Sir before sitting back down gracefully.

"Well played James." I told him at exactly the moment Padfoot's handwriting appeared on the charmed parchment.

_Well played man but . . . I don't wish! and I plan to eat all your sausages at breakfast for that. _

We spent the rest of the lesson laughing and joking together and sneakily counting all the newly cast admiring looks we got. Go James. Go Marauders.

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A/N: I don't like Amos Diggory . . . don't know whether you guessed that from any of the previous chapters, or this one . . . Hope you enjoyed it, I plan to update asap! Reviews are always appreciated!


	25. Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw

A/N: Hey guys!

I know it's taken me a while to update but i'm in the process of doing my first spanish gcse controlled assessments and aside from having to learn my speaking and writing, i've had two listening and reading tests (most of the content we hadn't even learnt yet) and now they've decided to give us all a thirty page vocab booklet, each page has about 225 words on it, to learn. yippee.

**Something of importance: **this chapter is unlike anything i've ever written before, fanfic or no, and i apologise if it's not up to normal standards! obviously, quidditch matches are going to be playing a big part in this story so hopefully you'll like this one and i'll just get better as time progresses! font like this: **_ohh, look i'm in bold and italics! _**is commentary just to clear up any confusion. Also, i do not know all the rules of quidditch, the scoring system, or anything like that so i've been truly creative and made it up! sorry if this may annoy you, i have tried to stick to what i know is true as much as possible but decided to use my artistic license a little.

anyway, spiel over, thanks amazingly much to: **Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe** and **siriusblack4evaxx** for reviewing, it means a lot you keep coming back guys :) and to **dutchie-1987** for favouriting!

take it away billie!

* * *

**19****th**** October**

**Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw**

**7:00am**

I'm nervous.

No I'm not. I'm Billie Potter, pleasure to meet you.

No, definitely nervous.

Am not.

Are too, why do you feel like being sick?

I don't.

You do.

Just haven't eaten yet.

Why don't you go eat then?

My bed's warm.

So you're hiding in your bed?

Am not!

Are too. Why are you hiding?

BECAUSE I'M NERVOUS!

So you are nervous?

No!

That's what it's been like since five this morning. I got back in from astronomy at half 12 and only had about four hours sleep. Well isn't that a good way to start the quidditch season? It's kick-off at ten am. And I'm still in bed. Truth is, I'm really scared. This match means a lot, lose this and it could be the only match we play all year.

**8:00am**

Two hours 'til kick-off. I'm ready. Surprisingly, I felt a lot better as soon as I'd got my robes on, I was part of a team, it's not like I was going to be up there on my own.

Red under t-shirt, red jersey, leather chest and arm pads, red and yellow joggers, long red socks, my worn but extremely comfortable boots, my long red cape that reads: B POTTER 03 and last, my thick, fingerless leather gloves. I put these on lovingly, mum and dad bought me them for making the Gryffindor team in my second year and I hadn't ever lost a game whilst wearing them. I guess they are my lucky gloves and I stroked the worn leather pattern on them for a few minutes before daring to head down to breakfast.

I met Sammie and Stony on the way down, they too were all robed up Sammie with WILLS 04 and John with STONE 02 printed on their backs.

"You ok?" I asked them.

"Cause we are!" Sammie jumped up and down, showing how ready she really was.

"Are you?" John asked, before tutting at the state of Sammie's cloak and doing it up for her.

"I . . ." My mind wandered back to an hour ago when I was laid in my bed shaking with nerves but now I was kitted up and with my team I couldn't feel anything other than excitement and pride. I grinned. "I'm brilliant."

We didn't realise the irony of us walking in together until we actually did, there was an uproar of cheering from the Gryffindor table, ear-splitting enough to drown out any boos from the other houses.

"And so enter the Gryffindor Chasers!" James greeted us as we strode over. We were pulled into a hug one by one, even a protesting John. "Don't pull away Stony, it's tradition!"

The atmosphere was electric. Our table was a swarm of red figures, Alice and Frank, both avid quidditch fans were dressed entirely in red and ran over (hand in hand as per usual) to wish us good luck. They were shortly followed by Sirius, Remus and Peter. I cracked up laughing at what they'd no doubt made Wormy dress in, a bright red lion suit.

"Rooar!" He told me between giggles. Padfoot and Moony were dressed a little more conservatively. Sirius in a tight red top and jeans with the Gryffindor scarf hanging loosely around his neck. He was going to freeze and no doubt the female population would be too distracted by his chest and arms to pay attention to the game. Good choice of clothes Padfoot. Remus was wearing jeans and a red sweater, he loves those things . . . Remus Lupin, part man, part wolf, part SWEATER.

"Good luck!" They both told me between hugs, seemingly excited, especially Moony. I swear he's a secret Quidditch addict.

"Sirius is looking good." Sammie breathed in my ear as we sat down to eat. I laughed into my pumpkin juice. "What?" she giggled along with me, we both turned to look at Padfoot down the table, insisting he had the last piece of bacon. "Man alive, I wish I was in your year."

"Why?" John asked suddenly, we hadn't even noticed him sit down opposite.

"So she could go out with Sirius of course." I told him, laughing at Sammie's horrified face and John's which was slowly turning sour. Really! They must learn to expect me to wind them up about one of them liking someone when the other's is around! It's simple, they like each other far too much.

"Right." He muttered sharply. And I received a weak slap from Sammie as I continued to chuckle at them both. They are so oblivious to the way the act around the other!

"BILLIE!" Emmeline bounded over and I couldn't help but grin at her enthusiasm.

"Hey! You good?" I moved to make room for her but she didn't sit down.

"Ace thanks!" She chirped back. "I'm well up for the game today!" A chorus of excited replies followed her statement.

Peter and Martin were the last to finish eating and as soon as they were done we stood to tumultuous applause and made for the Gryffindor Changing Rooms where James would give us a pep talk.

"GRYFFINDOR FOR THE WIN!" I heard Padfoot shout over the crowd and I turned back to smile at him. So happy I could burst.

**9:50am**

James' "talk" was pretty good for a first time. We all got seated in a tight circle, with our brooms laid out by our sides. James stood in front of us.

"Right guys!" He began, beaming down from his standing position. "It's our first match of the season, a very important season, and I think we've got a good chance today. Ravenclaw are probably one of the weakest teams at the moment, I don't think Gove has been doing as good of a job as he thinks he has and my spies tell me their not as tight as we are." His 'spies' were Padfoot and Wormtail, he'd paid them to go and observe the other teams' practices all last week. Peter had been happy to oblige, Sirius not so much. "Tightness is our strongest point. We are the tightest team in the school, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses and instead of just playing to our own strengths we try to utilise each others'. Chasers," He turned so he was facing us properly. "You need to fly fast and hard. The Ravenclaw goalkeeper is nowhere near as good as our Emmeline," she blushed, "But I want you to play like he is. We need to show these guys what we are made off and really, I don't want them to get a touch on that quaffle once! Sammie, take the left wing and let Billie take the shots until we get settled into the match, the Ravenclaw team will be much less likely to want to take a play for Billie when she's got you both on the wing sides. John, do the same but on the right side. I want to see fast passes, leave them no chance of interception. Billie, I want you to lead the defence and attacks, if you see Emmeline in trouble block them off." We nodded silently in agreement.

"Beaters," He turned to face Martin and the surprisingly relaxed Peter, "We need speed, aim and power. You don't let the other team try to take advantage of you, show them how we work. Peter, they're going to see you as the weakest in the pack. We know you're incredible so don't let them pick on you. Emmeline, you too, are going to get some stick out there, you need to stay focused and in the game. We've talked about not letting your emotions get the better of you, yeah? Watch the chasers because they'll give you some sign of what to do if you're unsure. Make sure you look for bludgers as well as the quaffle because no doubt you'll be having some of them hit your way as well. Also, if you wanted to help me out . . . if you see their seeker looking like he's seen something then do try to distract him, block him off or something. It might give me a few more seconds advantage."

Martin snorted, snapping the buzzing silence. "Because you need it!"

"Oh Martin," He replied acting coy and embarrassed, "You always know what to say!"

"Are you ready?" A small voice made us all look up. It belonged to a small, ginger second year boy, who'd obviously been roped in by Minnie to do some running.

"Sure, just give us another minute." James smiled at him warmly before turning back to us. "This is it then guys. Let's show them what we're made of!" We all stood and pulled each other into a messy team embrace. A great clump of red.

**11:30am**

WE WON! We won! We won! We won! We won! We won! We won! We won! We won! We won!

Merlin's beard! That was one hell of a start of season game!

The nerves had wormed their way back in to my body so I was shaking again by the time we were all in the air, staring down the other team. James and Oliver Gove grimaced through the traditional bone breaking handshake before returning to their places. Gove, being a chaser, was smack bang opposite me.

"I want a nice clean match ALL of you! This is the first game of the season so let's start how we mean to go on!" Madame Hooch's voice could be heard clearly over the excited hubbub of the crowd. One side was a sea of red, the other blue. I couldn't help chuckling when I saw professor McGonagall because she had transfigured her hat a bright red colour for the game and was already stood up cheering and ignoring the funny looks she was getting off the rest of the staff.

_**Alright then guys! Three minutes until kick off, I'll go through the players with you**__. _A smile spread across all our team's mouth as the unmistakeable voice of Professor Jubential rang out from the commentator's box.

_**On the Gryffindor team we have:**_

_**Emmeline Vance – Goal – Emmeline is a newbie to the team but tip offs say we've been told to watch out for her**__. _I cheered along with the reds; they do need to watch our Em. _**Martin Goldsburg and Peter Goldsburg – Beaters!**_The stands burst with noise again. _**Since when has Gryffindor become so family orientated? Samantha Wills! – Chaser, John Stone – Chaser, Billie Potter – Chaser! Hey John! Sm-iii-le! **_

Sammie and I turned and laughed as John flushed and smiled.

"It's my game face!" He shouted, still grinning.

_**Oh sorry, his 'game face'. Right. And finally we have the captain James Potter! Why anybody ever let him on a broom I'll never know but there you have it, the GRYFFINDOR TEAM! **_We clapped and wooped along with our house and the small handful of traitors that had joined us from Hufflepuff. After announcing us he went through the blue team, the noise surrounding us was still ear-splitting but the amount of cheers was definitely less, our side were louder for sure. I finally was able to pick our Sirius, Remus and Peter in is big red suit in the crowd. They'd no doubt flirted their way into getting the best seats and I could see Sirius waving a colourful banner reading: I LOVE POTTERS. It was quite embarrassing, but supportive all the same. Madame Hooch flew back onto the pitch, quaffle in hand. We all tensed up as she drew the whistle into her mouth and gave a sharp blow on it, tossing the quaffle high into the air.

Gove was fast, but as I'd expected I was just the little important bit faster. I snatched the red ball out of the air and started speeding towards the Ravenclaw goals, the spectators a blur in my peripheral vision. Another Ravenclaw chaser was flying in to cut me off so I tossed the ball sharply to Sammie on my left and saw her catch it neatly, she'd already been expecting the pass.

_**And the Gryffindor team are going like the clappers . . . sorry, apparently you won't know what that means . . . Wills in possession after an incredibly fast pass from Billie – **_Sammie was dodging the onslaught of oncoming players, determined to take possession of the quaffle, in a sharp move she flew straight up, firing the ball to the other side of the pitch and straight into John's waiting hands. We were almost at the goals now and the opposing chasers were battling vainly but didn't seem to know what to do to distract us. The quaffle found its way back into my hands as we drew up to the goal posts. Gove, Martins and Turner were doing everything they could to get the ball from me without simply pushing me off my broom. Pass back to John. Move. Receive from Sammie. Move.

_**And it's Gryffindor at the goal, trying to find the right spot to shoot and – SCORE! **_I spotted my gap and flung the ball straight through the unguarded hoop. I heard Gove cry out in anger but it was drowned under the cheers from the red sea of people.

_**Gryffindor lead 20-0 . . .**_Their goalie hovered in front of the middle hoop the quaffle turning slowly in his hands, waiting for some kind of sign from a chaser. We were all marked up, Sammie had taken Lisa Turner's back and was tailing her around to the left and Stony was infuriating Martins by flying directly in front of him at all times. Most people mark from behind but John has an incredible nack of keeping close to people and being in front of them and it drives them insane so we let him do it. I was right up the backside of Gove, so close I'm sure Padfoot would be jealous, mirroring his slightest movement and bumping into him occasionally, letting him know I was there. He was starting to get annoyed too and I was delighted to see it was putting him off, if there's one thing modern quidditch lacks it is composure – that's what dad says anyway. The goalie made a stupid decision to throw the ball to Gove and as soon as he turned I was there, blocking him and with a startled cry Gove dropped the ball into my hands and I sped off, back to shooting position.

_**It's never a good idea to drop the ball into your opponent's hands. **_A smile quirked my lip at Professor's biased commentary and in a movement that completely threw the goal keeper I passed the ball onto John who powered it into the left hoop. We darted over to one another to share a high five.

_**And it's another goal for the Reds! The Ravenclaw team can't quite decide what to do with them! Gryffindor lead 40-0!**_

_**. . . Gryffindor 80-0 Ravenclaw**_

_**. . . Gryffindor 150-0 Ravenclaw**_

We kept up our constant stream of goals, letting to poor Ravenclaw players get as far as the halfway line before snatching the ball back off them. Only a few of out shots hadn't gone in, one of mine was intercepted by Gove himself, one of Sammie's got saved (much to the keeper's delight) and a couple of John's shots fell short and were intercepted.

"Hey Billie!" I heard Peter call from above me about twenty minutes in, he was grinning hugely and had his beater's bat held aloft, "Watch!" And with that he soared towards the oncoming bludger. My stomach tightened uncontrollably, pictures of him lying in the hospital wing inhabiting my thoughts. Suddenly, the crowd gave a huge gasp as he swung his bat and hit the bludger hard towards the goal hoops. Of course, the goalie had no choice but to dodge, it was let him score or go to St Mungos with a smashed face. The crowds and Professor Jubential went wild in a happy disbelief.

_**Alright! Way to go mini Goldsburg! He's only in his fourth year as well! James has been training them well so far! **_Damn straight, James has been training us well! As we upped our lead to 240-0, with help from another bludger goal from Peter, the Ravenclaw team decided they had no other choice but to play dirty. Quickly, the game began to get a little out of hand, bludgers were narrowly missing heads, elbows and fists started being thrown into faces and ribs – not by our team of course! We are actually skilful - so why would we ever need to play dirty? One carefully flung out elbow hit John straight in the chest as he was on a goal run as we like to call them and he was winded, the quaffle slipping from his arms. Cries of outrage were called from our supporters and a fog horn of boos nearly knocked us off our brooms as Madame Hooch ruled the incident as an accident with a wave of her hand.

_**We all know that was a foul … but anyway, the Ravenclaw team are finally over the halfway line! I don't blame the Gryffindor chasers for not wanting to get too close, maybe they'll take out an eye next time-**_

_Professor! You cannot say that!_

_**Just telling it how it is Minerva! **_

_**. . . **_

_**(don't hurt me) **_Sir attempted to whisper away from the mic but everybody heard and raucous laughter rang through the stadium. Ravenclaw was getting close to our goal now, I saw Emmline's brow furrow intensely as the chasers gained on her. I have to admit that even if she wasn't the greatest keeper Hogwarts has seen in a few decades, we were still very close behind. The ball was passed firmly to Gove and before I could do anything about it, Gove spun the ball towards the hoops. There was an audible intake of breath. Silence . . . Then came an eruption of cheers (and boos, losers) as Emmeline dived magnificently for the Quaffle and caught it happily with both of her hands. A shriek of frustration escaped Gove's lips as he turned to face me, murderous.

_**What a SAVE! It's a promising debut from Emmeline Vance! Aw, even the captain's getting in on the celebrations! **_I looked and laughed, James had swooped down from wherever he had been searching to hug Emmeline in celebration, before whizzing over to John to check he was alright after being winded. I couldn't hear their conversation over the buzz of the crowd but from reading lips I could tell it consisted of a lot of words our mother would die if she heard us say. I agreed in their use though; if you're going to lose, lose whole heartedly don't stick your elbow in another player's chest! Emmeline took her first goal pass of her quidditch career, choosing to feint and send all their chasers zooming to the left before firing it to John at the right. In a quick succession of passes we had left Emmeline far behind and we were back in the attacking quarter on the Ravenclaw side. I was beginning to wish James would catch the snitch already when.

_**Oh! It looks like Brooks has seen something**__! _The Ravenclaw seeker? It wouldn't make a difference, obviously, but I'm sure James would be a little sore if he didn't catch it for the first time in years. _**Potter is in close behind her! It's there! And Potter is getting closer . . . Closerr . . . AND JAMES POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! Gryffindor win 390 – 0!**_

YES! A swell of happiness burst inside as us reds raced to James, all cheering and smiles.

"Yes! James!" Martin boomed over the exulted cries from the Gryffindors. We went round one another, patting each other on the back and gripping arms with people. We soon scattered on James' and my command to shake hands with the Ravenclaws and thank them for the game. We got some very funny looks but what do they want from us? The Potter twins were brought up properly thank you very much! I found Emmeline, buzzing around the team and congratulated her excitedly.

"Well done!" I cried, giving her a triumphant hug, "You were AMAZING." She blushed and thanked me, returning all the compliments I gave her. I saw Peter sidle up to me, grinning furiously. "You!" I yelled, poking him square in the chest. He looked taken aback. "Nearly gave me a bleeding heart attack with your fancy beater tricks!"

"Me too!" Martin joined us, ruffling up his brother's hair, "You're not cool." He told him, but far too fondly for the smaller boy to be able to take it to offence.

"Hey!" James appeared right in front of me, making me jump a little, nerves still edgy from the adrenaline, "Haha, scared you!"

"Did not!" I poked my tongue out at him and grinned before pulling him into a hug. "Well done you!" I patted him on the back as he squeezed me ridiculously hard like he used to do when we were four, trying to test whether I'd pop or not.

"You too!" He told me back, "Your shots out there were fantastic! I don't know how I'm going to choose a man of the match out of your guys! I never envied the previous captains for having to do this!" I laughed at him.

"As long as you don't pick yourself . . ."

"I'm not THAT big headed!" He insisted. I gave him _that _look that clearly said: yes, yes you are. He had the grace to laugh and together we signalled the team to go back to the changing rooms.

It felt so good to peel all my sweaty kit off and get in a shower, the warm water adding to my feeling of plain happiness. Both changing rooms were a babble of: I can't believe it! Well done! We showed them! And it was nice to hear everyone so thrilled about it all, all being as passionate as James and I are. Because we need a team like that – a team like us – to succeed. We met again in the group room where we started for our pep talk and watched happily as a tremendous smile spread evenly across James' face.

"WOOO!" He let out a long cheer, unable to describe how awesome we were. We laughed along with him. "I can't believe you guys! That was UNDESCRIBABLE! 390 NIL! _NIL!_" He began to jump around happily. "Ahhhhhh." He let out a long, whistling sigh of contentment, "I'm so proud of you guys . . . which has made it almost impossible to pick a man or woman of the match but-!" He grinned as a Mexican wave of ooohs sped along the line we were sat it. "I have decided! . . . That today's man of the match is Little Mr Peter Goldsburg!" We all cheered for him as James gave Peter a congratulatory hug and a certificate. I frowned.

"I didn't know there were certificates involved! I would have tried harder!" I joked, identical (no pun) grins adorning both James' and my face.

"Billie, if you'd tried harder the Ravenclaw team would be too scared to ever get on a broom again!" John exclaimed, Sammie nodding by his side the changing rooms once again burst into a bout of laughter. We wove our way into the cheering crowd that, at usual had massed around the changing rooms I was delighted to find Sirius, Remus and Pete right at the front, jumping and cheering louder and more enthusiastically than anyone else. As soon as I caught sight of Padfoot's _stupid_ banner I made a beeline for him. Not sure what made me do it, but I ran straight over and allowed myself to be pulled immediately into a tight, triumphant hug.

"WE WON!" I told him, shouting over the screams.

"I KNOW!" He roared happily back, "YOU WERE AMAAZING!"

"WELL DONE BILLIE!" Remus bellowed into my ear, I spun round to give him a huge hug as well.

**7:00pm**

A huge Gryffindor party was kicked off as soon as we got back, music and everything, until McGonagall came storming up, congratulating us of course, but then insisting that we stop RIGHT NOW and had the party later. Anyone who made a ridiculous noise (she looked directly at Padfoot when she said this – funny really), or made mess (she gave me a look – Padfoot found this funny) would be given a week's worth of detentions. What a way to kill the atmosphere! She left after giving us a MNDL and as soon as she had gone, and we'd settled down, I saw Lily sneak in, a pile of books in her arms looking decidedly suspicious. James saw her too.

"Thanks for pooping the party Evans!" He shouted as she crossed the room to find some quiet in the girl's dorm. We weren't even spared a glance.

So all afternoon when have simply been lolling around in the Common Room, feeling content but with undertones of excitement for the party ahead. Padfoot and I half ran down to Hogsmede to get Butterbeers, Firewhiskey and piles and piles of sweets, so many we couldn't fit under the invisibility cloak and nearly got nicked by Filch. Imagine us two being caught lugging crates of alcohol, with pocketfuls, armfuls; Padfoot even had a ton in his hood, of sweets. Filch would've gone SPARE.

I've completed an essay, with Remus' help of course and started my potions one. I never expected to be doing homework today. In the last hour I've been up in the girl's dorm with Alice, both of us preparing for the party. She honestly seemed as happy about today's win as I am and talked me through each minute of the game, telling me things I hadn't seen whilst on the pitch, Martin nearly hitting someone with the bludger and James winding up their seeker by talking to him almost constantly. We both had a good laugh at professor Jubential's commentary, agreeing that he needed to be the commentator for every match, even the international ones! Lily marched in not ten minutes ago, arms folded fiercely over her chest.

"Black wants to know if you're ready because the party is starting now and they don't want to start without you." She spat, no doubt unhappy that Sirius had actually spoken to her. I saw the unhappy face Alice was wearing, this was the first time Lily had spoken to me in the past weeks and it wasn't anywhere near the pleasant conversation she wanted us to have. Giving Alice an apologetic look I replied with a short: "Thanks." Before turning away from her and blanking her out completely. That was the first time Lily has spoken to me in the past couple of weeks and really, I couldn't be bothered!

Now, Lily has left to go meet Amos for the night (she announced this to Alice who almost got a slap for tutting at her) and no doubt her head will be filed with notions of how awful James and I are and how rubbish at life we are. Well stuff him! I'm off to party with my friends because, quite frankly, we've earned it and there's nothing that can stop me!

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A/N: there! hoped you liked it! the first quidditch match i've ever written, nice and easy was that one but trust me, quidditch isn't all plain sailing! please, please _PLEASE_ review, especially with an improvement! i want to know exactly what you guys think so i can make these matches more realistic!


	26. The Day After no2

A/N: Another update! I was in a freakishly demon-like writing mood yesterday and managed to churn out one and a half chapter which of course has lead me to posting this despite that nobody appears to have read the last chapter at all, or any of my stories. i don't know whether it's just my traffic playing up (again) or whether people actually haven't read it, anyway, here you go!

This chapter's very dialogue-y, especially compared to the last one hope you enjoy it anyway!

thanks to: **Broken-Wings101** for favouriting :)

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**20****th**** Oct**

**The Day After no. 2  
**

**11:00am**

I am awake! I am awake and headache free AND I can remember all the events of last night's quidditch party. See this time . . . I decided not to get drunk. Nobody joined me in my abstinence, they all got happy as house elves but nevertheless I enjoyed last night, it was very amusing in many parts.

I did drink, I think in total I must have had about six butterbeers (even though they're not really alcoholic) and I split a bottle of Firewhiskey with Remus and Sirius, although they drank the most of it – Remus was especially smashed. I always find that the second half of the party, when all the younger students are sent off to bed, is more fun than the first because people know that it's unlikely that Minnie will be coming back so they really let themselves go. It was around eleven that things got funny, for me anyway, although I wasn't able to join in the drunken stupid-ness I was extremely happy to sit back and watch.

"Hey Padfoooot!" Moony slurred happily, the bottle we were sharing clutched in one hand. "I bet you some . . . chocolate that I can do a better impression of James than you can." Sirius looked up quickly and grinned.

"It's a deal. Billie? Billie!" He shouted me although I was stood right next to him.

"What?"

"You judge ok? And you go first Moooony."

I laughed loudly as Remus stood up taller and messed up his hair so it looked like my brother's. He made pretend glasses with his hands and started jumping around.

"Hey guys! Hey guys! I'm James Potter! WOOO! I F- LOVE Lily Evans! WOOO!" The crass language coming out of Remus' mouth sounded altogether quite wrong but I giggled and grinned along as he proceeded to run around the room, congratulating all the team for their win. They found this drunken Remus even more amusing than I did, his behaviour contrasting so much from the smart, generally quiet kid they usually see.

"Alright!" Padfoot went over to stop him, "It's my go!" Moony dropped his glasses arms to his sides dejectedly, unhappy at being forced out of his James charade. I frowned because I hadn't seen my brother's reaction to all this yet. My eyes found him sat in the corner of the room, an empty bottle in hand and his black, messy hair hanging down to the rim of his glasses. He didn't look very happy and I saw Stony go and take a seat next to him. I made to go and see what they were talking about but out of the corner of my eye I saw Padfoot clambering onto a chair, ungracefully unlike his usual self and I thought that this might be more important at the time.

"My name is James Potter and I'm freaking awesome! And my best friend Sirius Black is even more awesome! Yeah, he's so cool, we have to keep the fire lit in our dorm otherwise it'd be like the North Pole!"

"That's cheating! You can't use your impression to self . . ." Remus frowned, evidently having lost the word he was looking for, "To self . . . Promote!" The common room burst into drunken laughter as Padfoot jumped off the chair and onto Remus' back.

"You can! You can! You can!"

"You can't!" Remus threw him off childishly, "It's not in the rules!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"You never said it wasn't in the rules so ha!"

Remus, although a couple of inches smaller than Sirius somehow managed to make himself appear bigger and threw his threatening presence around the room - must just be the werewolf in him.

"There weren't any rules!" Moony managed to contradict himself. They both froze, trying to piece together the previous conversation in their sloppy minds so they could work out what to say next. Finally, Moony sighed. "See this is why I don't like to play games with you!"

"You so do like to play games with me! I'm the best at games!" Padfoot boasted, knocking Moony 'lightly' on the shoulder but ending up sending them both straight to the floor. Neither of them seemed to notice the relocation and Remus just tutted.

"You're not the best at games, you suck at games."

"Do not! Who would you rather play with? HUH? Peter is just crap – no offence buddy, you're my favourite!" He apologised slowly to Peter who hadn't drunken enough not to hear the slant on his gaming skills, "James is always busy . . . or moping, I hate it when he mopes and Billie's a girl so you can't make ridiculous innuendoes when she's playing or she gets in a bodge so therefore I'm the best!"

There was a pause as everyone in the room took all the tipsy information in.

"I prefer to play with myself." Came Moony's reply.

"That's not something most people admit to so openly, but it does explain a lot." Padfoot was still sharp after two bottles of whiskey however, I was beginning to get a bit embarrassed listening so I took my leave and went to sit with James and John.

"Hey." Stony greeted me quietly as I joined them, a no doubt perplexed frown on my face at my twin's unhappy condition.

"What's up?" I asked, resting a hand on James' knee comfortingly. He sighed woefully and I cast a questioning look at the noticeably tipsy John.

"James has made some uncomfortable revelations." Was all he replied. My brother hiccupped.

"I am a – idiot." I was told, James speaking in a tone that suggested he was utterly disgusted with himself. "Did you know that?" I nodded, trying not to laugh. "Well why didn't you warn me?" His eyes met mine for the first time drunken madness blazing in them.

"Calm down, what's happened? This is a happy night remember?" My grip tightened on his knee. He hiccupped sorrowfully again.

"It's a secret, you can't tell Sirius." I was warned earnestly. I got a twinge of something in my stomach, keeping a secret from Padfoot is not something I can easily agree to do because he always finds a way to worm them out of me. But without waiting for my reply he continued, "I still love Lily." A deep sigh whistled its way out of me, my poor little twin. He allowed me to pull him into a hug and we sat there for a while whilst I tried to think of something relevant and comforting. I dare say I failed miserably. "But (hiccup) she loves (hiccup) – Diggory." He laughed without humour, "So I might as well forget that. Never thought I'd lose out to him." John looked appalled.

"We will not lose out to Amos Diggory. Never ever!" He told us standing up in outrage but quickly sitting back down again as all the blood rushed to his head.

"No." James whispered, a steely look in his now focused eyes, "Ahh, sorry guys, what am I doing? Bringing all this crap out at a party?" He stood up, slower than John and remained upright. "Guys! Noone's dancing!" The music was cranked up even higher and people cheered and began to dance again.

Even later on, as more people made sloshed excuses to drift up to their dorms, the party got more interesting still. Ever since James had put the music on full blast (Lily had stormed down twice to tell him to turn it down, or better, turn it off) everyone had been dancing, jumping up and down to the music euphorically. Remus and Sirius were still engaged in a joking argument, dancing together but also trying to push the other over, it was very funny to watch, Peter had found himself a couple of impressionable fifth years to dance with and James and I were jumping around together, and everyone else in the room, drunkenly happy everyone was having a good time. Halfway through one of my favourite songs I saw Sammie leave a drunken Stony to go dance with Martin, they seemed to be getting on very well – too well compared to their normal platonic friendship.

"What on earth are they dooooing?" James staggered over to me, pointing a vague finger in the pair's direction.

"I have no idea!" I had to shout to be heard over the music. They were dancing even closer now, bodies touching until, of course, John saw them. In a flash of movement he was straight at the other side of the common room, his hand gripping Martin's shirt and a fist raised to-

"What the hell John!" The beater cried, clutching his nose which was spewing a scarlet fountain where he had been punched.

"You should keep your – hands to yourself!" Stony roared, lunging at Martin again all fists and elbows. In the end it took Both James and Sirius to wrench him off.

"You maniac!" Martin yelled at John as the chaser struggled in Sirius' strong arms, "We were just dancing for Merlin's sake!" Sammie stood in the middle of the commotion, looking horrified. I reached over to grab her arm and led her away as another fight broke out, this time both boys were giving it some and Sirius and James ere having trouble keeping them off one another's throats.

"What happened?" I asked as quietly I could with the speakers blaring out the Weird Sisters and the angry cries from the full swing fight. Sammie sniffed unhappily.

"Martin saw me looking at John, I know, I'm always looking at John but tonight, probably because he was drunk, he decided that what I needed to do was make John jealous . . ." I breathed out in understanding, well that worked a little too well.

"WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE YOU JEALOUS YOU STUPID PRICK!" Martin shouted at Stony whose fist had just come in contact with his head. Sirius gave me a long look, I could tell that he found all this quite funny but was trying not to laugh, obviously not wanting to be on the receiving end of all this violence, I don't know why he didn't though, he might not be a quidditch player but he is tall and athletic and could take both of them quite easily. "YOU WERE BOTH DOING MY HEAD IN! LOOKING AT EACH OTHER LONGINGLY THEN LOOKING AWAY! IT'S SO OBVIOUS YOU FANCY HER SO JUST GO AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

"John." James pulled him away yet again. "Think about it." Eventually between James, Sirius and I the situation was diffused and Martin marched off to the Hospital wing, John deciding to follow him and apologise. Sammie, feeling tired and sick, or so she told me, decided to grab Emmeline (who was trying to teach Remus how to do a cartwheel) and head off to bed after another round of congratulations. There was only us Marauders left. Feeling the soberest I had all night I decided to vanish most of the mess we had made, save the house elves a job and if McGonagall somehow caught wind of the fight and came back, at least she couldn't shout at us for the mess.

"Hey Padfoot!" My eyes we drawn to the other side of the room, wanting to see what other drunken madness Remus Lupin could achieve and I was astounded as before my eyes, Remus J Lupin, Lycanthrope/Walking dictionary, turned a perfect cartwheel in the middle of the room. He flushed as we all applauded loudly. "Bet you can't do _that_!"

"No!" I cried, running in front of Sirius to stop him attempting anything.

They put up a fight but eventually I managed to coerce all the boys into their beds, Sirius in return tried to coerce me into to staying with him for the night but his coercing mainly consisted of dragging me into his bed and hugging me so I couldn't leave. I did, of course, never underestimate the power of a sober Billie Potter. With them asleep, I hurried off up to my dorm and within two minutes I was fast asleep in bed.

**12:00am**

Everything was back to normal by dinner, John and Martin wise. They walked in together as usual and sat next to Sammie and Emmeline, who coincidentally were sat next to me as the boys hadn't arrived and Sirius had not moved from bed all day.

"So," I asked as everyone was seated, "What happened last night?"

"Sorry about that," John began, "I got the wrong end of the stick and well, couldn't think straight with all the drink."

They told the story of their trip to Madame Pomfrey, who wasn't very pleased to be woken at three in the morning and how she fixed Martin's nose. Sammie sat quietly throughout all of this, looking quite sad, until John kicked her gently under the table and their eyes met, smiling.

After dinner I vowed to everyone that I would succeed where they failed and rouse the hung over beast that is Padfoot from its den.

"Padfoot?" I whispered as I crept into the eerily silent Dorm, spotting that his curtains were closed around his bed. I waded through all the crap that has accumulated on the floor since September and reached his four poster. "Padfoot." A low grumble of "go away!" let me know he was awake and I pulled open his curtains slowly laughing at him as he turned to face me.

"Go 'way!" I was told.

"No, you've been in bed all day, you can get up now." I pulled his covers off him, relieved that he was at least wearing pants because that could have been awkward.

"Gotta hangover. Go 'way!" He cried, trying and failing to pull his covers back up over himself.

"Have some sobriety potion then!" I passed the little vial Remus had given me into his weak hand. Sighing and sitting up, he swallowed the blue, mouthwash like, liquid in one. "Better?" I asked but already knowing the answer. He nodded, moving slowly out of bed to grab a shirt and some jeans.

"Did you have a good night?" he asked croakily, moving the I LOVE POTTERS banner from on top of his shirt before picking it up and slipping it on.

"Yeah, it was a laugh, you?"

"No, Remus kept beating me at things. That fight was a laugh though. Have they sorted all that out?" Well, would you know? Sirius Black cares about his fellow housemates!

"Yeah, John admitted to just being pissed and getting it all wrong."

Padfoot huffed something I didn't catch, shuffling into the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he re-emerged, with sparkling teeth and brushed hair, I suggested we take a trip to Hogsmede with Moony. He was a little reluctant at first.

"But we can pester him about this crush he's got without James there to tell us we're being harsh and asking too much!"

He agreed quickly enough then.

Our trip to Hogsmede was lovely, we each bought something from Honey dukes, a big bar of chocolate and a bay full of gummy sweets, and had a little picnic in the dark near the shack ignoring the cold and just enjoying each other's company. The boys were playfully rough with each other in the shadow of the previous night's competitions, plus the fact that they just LOVE to wind each other up to the point of strangling. After the chocolate was consumed and I had forcibly removed the boy's hands from each other, and sat between them, I nudged Sirius' leg with mine hoping he'd understand I wanted him to start the topic of Moony's crush. Obviously, I was stupid for wanting Sirius to understand something so subtle.

"What?" He asked loudly, nudging me back. I tried to give him a look that explained my intentions but it was hard in the dark.

"What are you two doing?" Remus asked, he had laid down in the damp, cold grass, evidently enjoying the chill. "If you've got something important to tell me regarding the both of you might as well spit it out, I don't mind if you two are . . . engaged in a-"

"Shut up Remus!" I told him, turning to nudge him in the legs too. "Although, we do have something we want to talk to you about . . ." I saw Sirius' mouth form a little o. Yes Sirius, that is what I meant with all the nudging. Moony sat up slowly, looking me right in the eye.

"No." Was all he said.

"Please, Moony!" Padfoot spoke up, "It's only us, you don't have to tell us her name, we just wanna know about this girl that has succeeded in catching the eye of the otherwise frigid Remus Lupin."

"You know why I don't go out with people Sirius." Remus replied coldly and briskly.

"He didn't mean that Remus." I soothed, kicking Padfoot somewhere near the crotch, must have been as he swore quite loudly. "It's just nice, albeit a little strange, that you've got a crush, it's not something you've let us know before and it's frustrating to be kept in the dark." I watched the werewolf's face carefully, watching it slacken a little.

"Can't be as bad as telling us about your furry little problem." Padfoot piped up.

"Why don't you just shut up?" I offered not unkindly, to Sirius as Remus flinched. He shrugged sulkily. "Please Remus, just divulge a little, Sirius will shut up." I pleaded and Padfoot huffed. A Smile crept into the corners of Remus' mouth.

"Fine." My cheer of celebration was cut short as he continued talking in a more business like tone, "But! You have to swear that whatever I say stays between the Marauders, no telling Lily, or anyone else-" It was my turn to huff, me telling Lily the time of day would be nothing short of a miracle! "-sorry Billie- and if you do manage to worm her name out of me you must PROMISE not to talk to her or tell her ANYTHING." He stressed those words superfluously. Sirius and I nodded in agreement before turning to face him fully, almost as if he was about to tell us some thrilling story. Well, I guess he was.

"Tell us a story Mr Moony." Sirius whispered into the dark. We all laughed a little.

"Well . . ." Moony didn't where to begin without giving too much away. "She . . . is a she . . . um, she's in Ravenclaw – no Billie, she's not on the quidditch team – she likes reading-" Sirius laughed loudly and we both shot him a questioning look.

"ALL Ravenclaws like to read, it's why they're in Ravenclaw!" We both ignored him.

"I think she's pretty." He blushed furiously and I aw-ed at how cute it all was. Sirius for once seemed lost in thought, or whatever goes on up there. "Oh! She's in our year, and she's got a sister in first year."

"Do you see her often?" Sirius asked, wow, he had been thinking! Remus nodded.

"Yeah, I see her a lot."

"What-?" He began but was cut off.

"No more," Remus insisted, "I've already told you way more than I wanted to tell anyone!" I sighed and patted Sirius' hand as he tried to speak again.

"It's cool, at least you've told us something." . . . Something we can start piecing together I thought but didn't fancy a lecture so kept it to myself. Remus shrugged, still a little red and laid back in the cooling grass, I joined him, pulling Sirius down with me. He smirked and enveloped me in a hug. "Gerroff Padfoot!" I cried, both boys seemed to find this funny and decided that during the rest of the evening they would both hug me at the most inopportune moments. This included on our way back when, as we'd forgotten the cloak and the map, we nearly got caught by Filch.

It was funny how we all whispered "Knox" simultaneously to extinguish the bright lights at the tips of our wands. We were thrust into darkness and a couple of the portraits groaned sleepily as we pushed ourselves flat out against the wall to avoid detection. As the shuffling feet passed us I felt both their arms snake around my waist (Sirius) and shoulders (Remus) and they both chuckled under their breath as I tried to throw them off without giving us away.

I refused them both a good night hug.

Serves them right really.


	27. I Love Potters

A/N: Another chapter! It feels like ages since I updated although I don't think it's been too long a wait for you guys.

I really like this chapter short and sweet and the first of a few almost filler chapters leading to an important event. exciting huh? ALSO! How do you all feel about Billius? If you couldn't guess (c'mon people!) it's Billie/Sirius and the amusing brainwork of one of my amazing reviewers **siriusblack4evaxx **i want to know your thoughts on the ship and any other potential romances you might want to see in this :)

Thanks to my faithful reviewers, i love you guys more than i love coldplay and i love coldplay like KIN. **Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe**, **siriusblack4evaxx **and the prodigal reviewer has returned! **Siriusly luvs Harry Potter** I've missed you!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter . . . . plenty of *manic grin* BILLIUS in here!

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**21****st**** Oct**

**I Love Potters**

**12:30pm**

Sirius has just been given a detention, he's gutted but, oh Godric, it was so funny!

It happened during lunch, we'd strolled out of transfiguration after each having a particularly successful lesson and as we began to head down to the Great Hall Sirius announced rather mischievously, even though I was the only one to notice it, that he was going to the toilet and he'd meet us down there. So off he trotted a few of his more desperate fan girls following him, I say desperate because really, do they think he's going to just let them wander into the boys' toilets? Why the hell would anyone want to go to the boys' toilets? So anyway, after about fifteen minutes (the boy was not simply just peeing!) he joined us at our usual spot with a smirk on his face – a _smirk. _

He swore as I kicked him under the table, then he grinned as he met my worried eye.

"You'll see." He winked and replied to my unasked question before refusing to say anything more on the topic. James, my beautiful but dim-witted twin noticed nothing, neither did Pete though that was to be expected but I was surprised that even Remus seemed too distracted to notice the buffoon-like smile Padfoot had plastered on his face. Strange. Not to mention irritating. We made our way down to the dungeons pretty early at Sirius' request, this behaviour shocked James, and especially Remus, as this was the notorious trouble maker Sirius Orion Padfoot Black insisting that we head on down to potions early. POTIONS a lesson he is well known to despise. Nevertheless we finished what was on our plates, I didn't eat much today, wasn't in the mood, and we headed off down to the dungeons. I became even more concerned when Sirius linked arms with James and insisted they skip down together. James, though evidently baffled, joined him. It was very odd.

All the strangeness and Sirius' funny mood were explained as were filed into the dungeons. As usual, Professor Slughorn stood alone at the front next to his blackboard however today he was joined by a scowling Severus Snape. _What a geek. _Was my initial thought, I mean, we all know he lives and breathes potions but already being in the classroom before lesson is slightly weird. And then, of course, I saw the reason why he was scowling more furiously than usual and why Sir was hovering around him protectively. Stuck fast the Snape's back was the banner, THE banner. Severus Snape had the words: I Love Potters across his back in bright red.

It was brilliant. Really, incredibly fantastic of Padfoot. People were beginning to notice and a wave of sniggers and whispers flew through the classroom, Snape turned an ugly shade of pink as Amos Diggory made a comment something like, "well at least somebody likes them". Could've punched him. Hard. In the balls. Sluggy silenced the class with an annoyed twitch of his moustache, we all managed to contain our laughter, I daren't look at James or Sirius because I knew I would explode, except Padfoot himself. His cries of mirth bounced through the silence of the Dungeon and I had to forcibly keep my mouth shut to stop myself from laughing along with him. Lily, who was still sat beside me, gave me a cold look of disbelief and Remus, although his lips were twitching told me to shut up with one glance.

"Black!" Slughorn yelled, yet still managing to be pompous.

"Yes…" Sirius was almost crying with laughter, "Sir?"

"Come here."

Sirius rose from his chair, shaking with amusement but gracefully so. He wove his way past the Slytherins he had to sit near and broke into another round of laughter at the death looks they were giving him. I still don't get it though, none of them even like Snape, it's a well known fact they only let him hang out with them because he knows all kinds of dark magic. No money, not a pureblood, no evidence of any aristocracy – he just doesn't fit. The class were deadly silent by the time Sirius reached the front, all anxious in anticipation.

"Did you do this?" The Slug demanded, gesturing wildly with his podgy hands at Snape's back. Wasn't it obvious?

"Yeah…" Sirius was still laughing, steadying himself on Sir's desk. For a moment Slughorn was a loss for what to do, he had expected Sirius to deny it, to put up a fight. I think it's what he really wanted.

"Well!" He spat out, Sirius wiped a globule from his cheek, grimacing but still laughing. "This is simply unacceptable, ruining another student's uniform deliberately and to a degrading level. Severus had to walk down here, unaware of your little prank and face the mockery from other students." This was exactly the wrong thing to say. Sirius almost screamed in a peal of fresh hilarity. "Mr Black!" Slughorn cried out, flustered. "I suggest you apologise and remove this _artefact _from Severus' robes immediately."

Sirius did not apologise, nor did her make any effort to get the banner off Snape's back, instead, he slipped down onto the stone floor laughing and laughing. In all honesty I was beginning to get a little scared because surely people shouldn't laugh so much. Everyone's eyes were on Sirius as real tears flew down his cheeks, the result of so much laughter, his body was rocking uncontrollably, his face was beetroot red and little gasps told me he was beginning to struggle breathing. Transfixed with Sirius, barely anyone but Sir noticed Snape shed his cloak and dump it in an already lit fire pit, stopping to admire the way my last name burned.

"Hey!" Padfoot called out angrily (but still laughing), "I spent ages on that!" He barked with mirth again. "Don't give a hippogriff's arse about your cloak though!" Snape flushed magenta again, a sickly version of the colour, this time I think it was with anger though.

"Mr Black!" Slughorn had gotten over his shock and was the picture of rage . . . if rage is about 5"2 and has tusks made from moustache hair. "This behaviour is unacceptable, 50 points from Gryffindor and . . ."

Next to me Lily snapped a quill in half mutinously.

"Chill out Lily, we're miles ahead every other house." Remus told her kindly. She shot him a cold, unpleasant look and his face crumpled a little. What a bitch! If she doesn't like me and James, hell, maybe she has a reason but nobody gives Remus Lupin their crap. I won't allow it.

"Cut it out." I told her sharply. "What the hell has he done?" That sedated her. Remus' hand found mine and we squeezed each other's tightly before dropping them.

"Thanks." He whispered almost inaudibly under Padfoot's cries, he was STILL laughing.

" . . . And a detention!"

This sobered Sirius up a little, but only a little. He was gasping for air like a fish out of water and had stopped laughing to choke out:

"I can't breathe – crap – crap – help – I can't breathe!"

"Professor," I took the initiative to call out, his beady eyes found me and frowned, "He needs to go to the hospital wing." I did my best not to sound too urgent, breezy. He frowned, observing Sirius who was trying to heave himself off the floor whilst clutching his sides in pain.

"Fine. Potter," He addressed me so lovingly, "Take him, but I still expect the homework off both of you. Black!" He called as I reached the front, both our bags in hand and yanked him up. "Your detention will be on Friday night! 7 o'clock!" He said something else but we were already out of the door, Sirius spluttering again.

"Sirius!" I cried in despair, "Stop laughing!" He only barked louder.

"Billie!" He grabbed me into an awkward hug that was more him leaning on my shoulders and shaking. "The banner, it won't burn!" I frowned in confusion, "Snape, fire, it's been charmed! Won't burn!" My jaw dropped before my mouth settled into a wide grin. Truly, brilliant.

"BLAAAAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKK!" Slughorn's voice boomed from the opening door. Still laughing, laughing, laughing Padfoot grabbed my hand and we raced up to the common room.

I found myself laughing with him the whole way.

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A/N: Definitely one of the shortest chapters I've written but I hoped you liked it! Review and tell me your Billius or Anyone-else-ius thoughts!


	28. So When Then?

A/N: hey! sorry this has taken so long! it has actually been up to publish for about a week but decided not to save my original authors notes for this chapter so i've had to write them again (here.)

the chapter is almost like a bonus chapter, written for the amazing **siriusblack4evaxX **who told me that the 22nd of Oct was her birthday and feeling guilty that i hadn't actually written an entry for that date, instead doing some plotty stuff. so, being a kind person i decided i'd write one! happy "birthday" siriusblack4evaxX!

sorry for typos, grammatical errors and all that jazz.

THANK YOU :D **siriusblack4evaxX, Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe **and **Siriusly luvs Harry Potter **you people are a bit cool you know?

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**22****nd**** Oct**

**So When Then?**

**2:00pm**

Padfoot and I have just had a rather indescribably strange conversation. We were relishing in the fact that we had two free periods and no work to do, the common room was bare, James and Remus had gone up to the library to finish off some piece of Transfiguration or other and of course, Pete didn't want to be stuck in the Common Room with us two, the formidable pair we are, so he tottered off after them. Padfoot suggested we have a game of chess to pass the time as the other three would no doubt be ages. I agreed and we began playing, I was winning of course, but then Sirius asked that question and it completely threw me to the floor.

"So Billie," He began, after we'd finished a discussion about what was going to be for dinner, "Who was your first kiss?"

Yeah, exactly. I was utterly shocked – where? WHERE? Is the connection between toad in the hole and kissing? WHERE? Oh, actually, I'm not going to dwell on that one . . . But anyway, I didn't know how to respond, I couldn't even remember who my first kiss was! I'm not a slut I just couldn't think off the top of my head – of course it got much more interesting when I did remember.

"What?" I spurted out my beautifully put reply. Sirius smirked.

"Your first kiss? Who?"

Flabbergasted. That's how I felt.

"Why do you even want to know?" I asked as my bishop smashed Sirius' knight to dust, glad of the momentary distraction. His smirk grew.

"I just want to know, it can't be that difficult to answer surely." He smirk grew more challenging, I'm never one to throw down a challenge (damn me!), so then of course I had to remember who this guy was!

"Let me remember then!" I half snapped as his wry smile grew. I tried hard to remember, cringing through all my past kisses – Gideon Prewitt, when we went out in fifth year . . . Fabian Prewitt, I was drunk! . . . Simon Hodge, our old beater, that was third year and then it hit me. My first kiss was with Sirius.

"What?" He asked, more concerned than playful as I flushed scarlet. How was I supposed to tell him that?

It happened in our second year, it sounds pathetic, but it was after Remus' full moon that we knew about and he turned up in the hospital all shredded up with all the added stress of us knowing and being able to judge him. Needless to say I got quite upset and spent the whole day avoiding everyone, hiding in one of our secret spots behind a large tapestry, feeling guilty and pretty much depressed. I think it was on Remus' terms that the guys left me alone for most of the day, leaving me to just wallow in that small alcove, listening vaguely to the conversations of the passing students but mainly just being wrapped up in my own thoughts. Just before dinner Sirius came and found me, breathless after running around looking in all the other secret places we knew of. He said nothing and just shuffled in next to me, our small twelve year old bodies just fitting in the small space.

"Remus is ok, Madame Pomfrey's healed him up really well." He broke the choking silence. I sniffed quietly. "It's been quiet without you." Still I said nothing, I was thinking. "Billie, please be happy!" This was the twelve year old Sirius Black, still partially wrapped up in all his family's ideas, usually too busy struggling with his inner conflict to really think about anyone else's feelings (other than James' but they always have been on some magical brightly coloured page of their own) so for him to want me to cheer up? Well that was BIG. "Billie!" He half whined again.

Then it happened, I wouldn't (couldn't?) reply to him so he got a reaction from me the only way he thought he could. He kissed me. And that was it, there were no follow ups, we didn't even talk about it, everything went back to normal and I was glad of that, I didn't have feelings for Sirius and he didn't have feelings for me. But, I suppose for a first kiss, it was quite nice.

"Billie?" Sirius' impatient, still whiny voice interrupted my memory. My cheeks filled with colour again, I didn't know it was possible to blush as much as I did! "Do I know him? . . . Or her?"

"Yes you bloody know him!" I snapped back automatically although in hindsight I should have just shut up.

"Ah! The mild curse implies that I know him well!" He insinuated, "Merlin! It's not Remus is it? Man that would be kinda awkward!"

I laughed in spite of myself, imagine how _awkward _it would have been if it were Remus. "It's not Remus – I'm not telling you who it was!"

From across the chess board, where all the little pieces were becoming steadily annoyed at being ignored, Sirius frowned a little.

"So, When then?" He asked and I made a sound almost like a growl.

"Padfoot, can we please just drop the subject?"

"No!" He objected almost immediately, "It's got you all embarrassed and defensive and I want to know why!"

"Siri-"

"Did you not like it?"

"For Merlins sake-"

"Did it go wrong?"

"No I just-"

"It wasn't Snivelly was it?"

"SHUT UP!"

His eyes widened as I literally screamed at him, so thankful the common room was empty. "Just shut up!" My glare was met with grey eyes that suddenly flashed with understanding.

"It WAS Snape wasn't it?" Disgust was plain in his voice, "I thought you had better taste then that."

"Shut up."

"I didn't mean to be harsh I just thought you know, you wouldn't want Snivellus as a first kiss – as any k-"

"Shut up you stupid bastard it was you! Ok? It was _bloody _you!"

Sirius pulled a shocked face to rival my own, how the hell did that slip out? I didn't want to tell him!

"You? Me? What?" Sirius stumbled eloquently. I chose to say nothing and let the red flood of my cheeks answer his questions. "Really?" He went a little pink too, "When was this?"

"We've only kissed once Sirius." My words came out a little colder than I really wanted them too, so I covered up apologetically, "Second Year, after Remus-"

"Oh yeah I remember! Wow."

"Yeah." I offered lamely as we fell back into silence. It was a few more moments before Sirius started talking again. He was smirking, that alone sent alarm bells ringing.

"So, did you enjoy it?" Well I wasn't going to play to his game.

"Not really, I've had better." He gasped and leaned in a little closer.

"Oh really? And why exactly did this other, no doubt common urchin's kiss surpass mine?" His smirk grew as he continued to inch forwards. I recognised the challenge in his words and a grin found its place on my lips.

"Well, everything really, the timing, the place, the other common urchins brushed their teeth." That, obviously, was a lie, nobody in the school has cleaner, healthier teeth than Sirius. His are the definition of pearly whites. I caught a glimpse of them as his smirk widened into a grin, he was inches away from my face now and I was starting to feel a little nervous, why was he even that close?

"You were my," He whispered, breath tickling my cheek, it wasn't uncomfortable, just strange.

"GUYS!" The Portrait flung open and James clambered in over-excitedly, waving a sheet of paper, Remus and Peter following him smiling slightly. Sirius and I backed away from each other before you could say awkward and we both went a little red. "Errr, what were you doing?" James asked stopping a few metres from us, observing the scene suspiciously, a little frown creased his forehead.

"Nothing, I was just beating Padfoot at a staring competition." I replied coolly, amazed at how quickly I made that lie up, Padfoot is having a bad effect on me!

"Whoa! I think I was winning Billie!" Padfoot played along, giving me a 'good save' look.

It was a good save, one minute later and I think James would have walked in on something slightly different. Luckily though, I don't think Sirius and I will talk about it. Neither of us are people that really feel the need to _talk _about their feelings, Sirius just doesn't and I have this diary to store my life's thoughts. Maybe it's a trust problem, we don't share our feelings but I would like to know what he was going to say . . . If only James had walked in one minute later.

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A/N: oooh.


	29. Spill

A/N: It's me again! How about this for a speedy update?

Thanks too:** Broken-Wings101**, **bananafreak97, siriusblack4evaxx **aaaannddd **Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe **:) you really inspired me to get writing chapter 32 - see how far ahead i am?

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**23****rd**** Oct**

**James and Lily. Spill. **

**12:00pm**

It's all kicked off in Defence Against the Dark Arts. James and Lily, I mean. It had to happen sometime, there was no way two naturally fiery people would be able to hold a silent grudge for long. And an hour ago they both snapped.

It started off an everyday, normal DADA class, Sir brought us in, grinning in a decidedly Padfoot like way – it was quite unnerving – and told us that we'd be doing paired practical work today and he had picked the pairs. I was with Sirius, originally anyway, Remus was happily sorted with Pete but James . . . Sir made the mistake of putting Lily and James together. After the list had been read out, people shuffled around to join their partners, generally quite happy with whom they'd been partnered with. Lily's hand sliced through the air as she raised it.

"Sir!" Prof. Jubential spun to face her, a surprised look on his face, Lily didn't usually have any problems in his class.

"Yes Lily?" He cast her a warm smile, a frown touching his brow when she didn't return it.

"I'm really sorry but I cannot work with J- Potter." The room fell silent as she complained, James laughed bitterly to my right. Sir's frown became more pronounced.

"Why on earth not? You usually don't have a problem working with anyone . . . and you and James are Head Boy and Girl so I didn't think it would be a . . ."

"It is a problem Sir." James spoke out harshly, thirty pairs of eyes fixed on him nervously. The Jubemaster gaped like a fish in loss of what to do but before he could answer Lily whipped round to glare at James.

"What's your problem?" She snapped and several people sat close to her shuffled away. James laughed bitterly again.

"What's MY problem? Hah! What the hippogriff's arse is yours?" He bit back.

"I don't like you, do you have a problem with that?" Lily roared over the silence, red anger pouring out into the quiet white.

"I couldn't have guessed. But I guess you got lucky because I don't like you either." James wasn't bothering to raise his voice, recalling that it made her madder is he was nonchalant. Proving the fact, Lily flushed a deep red.

"Good, finally!" Her face darkened again as he laughed at her, leant back in his chair as she was leaning forward.

"Glad you feel that way, you know, like I said in astronomy, you've really opened up some doors for me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

"GUYS!" Sir snapped out of his shocked trance and roared at my brother and Lily. They both blushed and looked up at Sir, stunned like the rest of the class, I don't think I'd ever seen him so angry. "I don't know what your problem with each other is but I suggest you get off your childish backsides and get it sorted because you're supposed to be head boy and girl! Now usually I don't give a rat's testicle whether two partners like each other or not but seeing as we've wasted time enough already and in this task you're going to have to trust your partners I'll give you ten seconds to get paired with somebody you like." He glared at the class, "NOW!" Students began to scuttle around to find their friends, Sirius and I stayed where we were and were eventually joined by James. Apart from that first tense episode the rest of the lesson was really fun! We were doing stunning spells and had to take it in turns to stun our partners and bring them back. James and Sirius were asked to demonstrate.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." James grinned, stepping up to the front of the class to face Padfoot who was also grinning.

"'Bout time you got some payback, I know I stun you everyday with my general awesome . . . iety-ness?" He turned to cast a questioning glance at Moony, our grammar god, who just shook his head sadly.

"Smooth Pads." James commented dryly.

"Whenever you're ready boys." Sir still wasn't completely back to his usual happy self but he seemed less pissed at the world. James raised his wand, grinning madly before a jet of red light hit Sirius in the chest and he slumped to the floor. There was silence. "Well done James, that's the stunning spell to a T, now wake him up." We all watched James move cautiously over to Sirius, his breaths the only signed he was alive. _Reenervate. _James whispered the reverse spell and smiled as Padfoot yawned.

"He looks so cute when he's asleep." James laughed, ruffling his hair then yelping as Sirius grabbed his wrist and pulled himself up.

"Do not."

"Actually, it's nice to see you wake up so quickly, takes you ages on a morning." Both the boys grinned.

"My name's not Billie, James."

"Hey!" I called from the back of the classroom; I'm ok at getting up! "It's Remus that won't get up on a morning!" Everyone turned to look at Remus who blushed.

"Sleep," He nodded sagely, "Is a very precious thing."

And finally we got a laugh out of Prof. Jubential.

We spent the next half an hour stunning each other, bring each other back and dodging the spells that went wrong. In all honesty, it didn't feel to bad to be stunned, just like falling asleep, only quicker and easier and waking up with a bit of disorientation and grogginess. I wonder if that's what it's like to die? Quicker and easier than falling asleep. Sirius and I were told to stay behind after the lesson and Sir had an uneasy look on his face so there was no way to get out of it.

"So?" Sir flumped down on his desk (I wasn't if people could flump but if they can, that's what sir did) in something like defeat. "Lily and James. Spill." I looked at Sirius and gestured for him to start. He wasn't happy about it.

"Basically, there is no Lily and James." He gave me a look that said: there, I said something, your turn. Bastard.

"Lily is going back out with Amos – they dated for a bit last year but split up for an unknown reason – and has been really, really bitchy towards everybody who's trying to help her see that Diggory is a ugly, nasty piece of-"

"Ok I get it!" Sir interrupted me before I swore. Sirius laughed as I blushed. "They've stopped patrolling together?" It wasn't really a question, the teachers so talk about us behind our backs! Sirius and I both nodded anyway.

"Yeah, Lily told James to leave her alone and that she hated him and all this . . . rubbish." Sir gaped, obviously that hadn't got round the staff yet.

Together Sirius and I managed to tell Sir the whole story, including the whole Snape nose thing and the relationship that Lily and I don't have. At the end we had wasted most of our lunchtime.

"Please will you ask James to come and talk to me? He must be feeling really . . ."

"Rubbish?" I offered, the alternative I'd used earlier to avoid a bad word.

**7:30pm**

You know what I hate?

I hate it when people won't listen to your bloody advice because their too _stuck_-up.

I also hate James.

I decided to tell him to go see sir at dinner, neither Sirius or I had had the chance before and I was glad to see that James' mood had improved from earlier – or so I thought.

"James." I broached over the plate of pizza we were sharing, a habit we haven't ever gotten out of, pizza is to be SHARED. He looked at me properly for the first time since the start of dinner and forced a smile onto his face. Sirius turned to look at me also, an un-encouraging frown flashing across his.

"About earlier?" I thought I should try and take it gently.

"What about earlier?" He snapped back. I winced and Padfoot's look came back.

"With Lily . . . Sir sa-" He cut me off sharply.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I know, but Prof-"

"-With anyone-"

"-essor Jubential wanted-"

"-at all because-"

"-you to go speak to hi-"

"-I don't even care-"

"-m."

"-I meant what I said!" We both stopped and half glared at the other.

"James."

"Billie."

"Can't you just go and see what he wants? It might not even be that!"

"You know fully well that it'll be that!"

I bit my lip. "Might not be." James threw down his last piece of pizza.

"Look Billie, not everyone is happy to go talk to a sodding teacher about their problems!"

I gasped offended then glared at him fully. "I don't tell him anything without him asking. Maybe you should just stop being so bloody proud for once."

"Right, proud, yeah. Shut the - up Billie." He was REALLY pissed, anyone could tell. Shame, so was I.

"James!" Remus hissed, it was nice to see that someone was going to stick up for me.

"Leave it out, we're trying to help you!" Sirius finished, casting James a rather impressive angry look. He got one back and opened his mouth to talk. "No, shut up, why can't you just let us help you for a change?" James gaped, Sirius picking my side over his? Unheard of! "Look we know that-"

"Sirius," I got up to leave, "It's ok, let him do whatever the hell he wants." Sirius looked like he might just grab me and sit me back down but eventually the fierce look in his eyes faded and he just sighed before mumbling a whatever.

"Don't be late for practice!" James told my back as I turned to leave.

I'd better get ready for this blessed practice and go find Sammie and John to warn them about James' mood. Though when we're doing 1000 sit ups . . . might not tell them I was the cause of it.

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A/N: Ohh, plotty things. I apologise for any typos, i kinda need a beta so if there are any of you out there? *whistles*


	30. FAIL

A/N: Hey guys!

This chapter is a very special chapter as it's the first to be beta-ed by the amazing **Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe **I mean amazing so luckily for you guys that means that between the two of us we should have straightened out any of those little typos and grammatical mistakes i love to leave in there usually. THANK YOU :)

Also! Cheers to: **joanvindiesel, MoonWafflesOfDOOM, siriusblack4evaxX, Siriusly luvs Harry Potter, ****mademoiselle-jj1 **(my new "author stalker" I love it!) and of course the brilliant **Mercy'sFoundaWayforMe** you people are clearly made of win :)

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**24****th**** Oct**

**F-A-I-L **

**11:00am**

James and I haven't really made up this morning. Practice last night was absolute torture. I'm still aching from all the ridiculous exercises he made us do and Billie Potter does NOT ache! Sirius has somehow managed to get himself in a mood as well, I have no idea what his problem is but it must be something that happened last night in the boys' dorm because he was fine when I left him. We stumbled into charms after a rather painful herbology lesson (especially when you're ACHING!) in which we had to re-pot the resident devil's snare without damaging it – a.k.a not burning the vile thing into submission with sunlight. You have no idea how tiring it is to have a three hour quidditch practice, being worked to the core then have to battle with a huge _plant_, one that wants nothing more than to squeeze the life out of you! It's hard to chuffing relax when there's a coil of slimy green around your wrists and throat. We did it eventually though . . . just. Charms has been pretty dull so far, I haven't really been paying attention, but I do have a rather impressive set of doodles in front of me: a giant devil's snare with someone that looks suspiciously like . . . no, it can't be! Oh yes, Amos Diggory. I have practiced a few charms, my picture moves so it looks like Diggory is really being choked.

**Very impressive – J**

Oh, so James wants to talk now? He must have seen my drawing from over my shoulder or something but really! He puts me through agony, refuses to talk, insults me – what kind of twin is he?

**What you writing? – J**

Nasty things about you, of course – B

And how true it is.

**Of course, look Billie I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be all snappish and nasty last night. I was just really annoyed! She just really gets under my skin . . . still – J**

I sighed deeply, why is it that he always knows what to say yet I can never disagree with someone on my own terms because my apologies are beyond rubbish? It's another one of those unfair things that James excels at and I just don't! I'd better write back, lest he think I've gotten retarded or am really annoyed with him. Even though, I thought I was annoyed with him, but now, I'm not? Gah! James and his apologies!

Yeah I get it your snappishness and nastiness has been forgiven, you're lucky I'm so kind – B

**Phew, sorry Billie, you are very kind and I'm very lucky – J**

Indeed. – B

**So, um, I went to go see Professor Jubential – J**

When? – B

When did James get time to go see him? Granted, he wasn't at breakfast, neither was Padfoot when you think about it but Sir was so he can't have been with him then. Unless he broke curfew last night to go see him or got up insanely early.

**Last night after my patrol, during which I realised how right you were and that I just need to get my head sorted. Kinda realised I should apologise to him as well for disrupting his lesson, it's not really how a head boy and girl should behave and I didn't think Lily would go and apologise so thought I would – J**

I see, and did you? What did he say? – B

**Well, at first I thought I'd woken him up because when I knocked at his office doors he answered in his pyjamas – he sleeps in a Weird Sisters T-shirt like you and Sirius, nutters all of you – J**

Not "nutters" FANS, anyway! Spill! – B

**Whatever you say! Right, well he answered the door in his "FAN" shirt and looked kind of surprised to see me but let me in anyway, he was marking our homework, we've both got O's by the way, then asked me exactly what happened to make us argue in his class – J**

And you told him? – B

**Yeah – J**

Everything? – B

**Everything from the start really, first year and stuff – J**

So he knows you love her? – B

**Loved, yeah and all the stuff with Snape and the Mudblood stuff and about Sirius and Remus – J**

James! Did he ask questions? What did you tell him? – B

**Chill out! He asked how Sirius knew and I told him Remus had told us in second year, along with everything else and to not say anything because I didn't want Remus to get into any trouble. He said of course he wouldn't and we talked about Remus for a bit, how hard it is for him and about one of Sir's friends who is a werewolf but everyone thinks he's a monster but he's not. Then we went back to me and Lily and Amos – god it sounds horribly like a soap opera love triangle – but there's no love involved – Sir said he was in the exact same place as me at my age and he completely understood and that's why he wanted to talk to me – J**

What happened? – B

**She and the dick (his words!) broke up but by then he'd mustered up enough pride just to say no and hasn't regretted it yet. He's told me not to do the same though, says Lily would be good for me and that I've changed since we stopped being friends. I just don't get it! She wouldn't give me the time of day for five years then is really nice to me, then hates me! – J**

I kind of agree with Sir, We've all been slightly less happy since she decided she hated us – I for one miss her – first time I've said this! – she was my best mate and then just decided to vanish out of my life because her boyfriend hates me and my brother, I thought we were closer than that and it is kind of heartbreaking in a sense – B

I mean it too. I haven't spoken civilly to Lily in two weeks! Most arguments in this place only last a day or two max, I never thought Amos Diggory had such a hold on her that she wouldn't still be my friend after I stuck up for my brother, the one solid thing in my life that's been there always and will be there always. How could she have ever expected me to go against that? When she was in the wrong as well.

**I'm sorry, you shouldn't have stuck up for me, I wouldn't have minded – J**

James, shut up, I'm not going to not stick up for you ever. It's one of the few perks of having a twin, I've got your back and you've got mine, most of the time anyway – B

**There are many perks of having you as a twin! – J**

Wish I could say the same! I'm only joking! What else did Sir say? – B

**He said that I should keep patrolling with Jess, just stay on top of the situation and he'd tell other members of staff to keep on the look out – J**

That's good I guess. We only have to hope they don't start picking sides. Imagine Slughorn if he knew his precious Lily didn't like us too! – B

**Merlin yeah! I'd rather go live up Snape's nose! – J**

Ugh, I wouldn't even go there, Padfoot's arse maybe, but Snape's nose . . . – B

**I know you'd go up Padfoot's arse! – J**

STOP implying things! What's gotten into him today, he's in almost as bad a mood as you were in – B

This is true and James can't deny it. The boy wasn't at breakfast and he barely spoke during Herbology! You'd have thought he would have been incredibly gleeful to see me being gagged by a (bastard!) plant and being the only one there to help as everyone else was busy freeing there own partners but no.

**Oh, he's just grumpy, ignore him he'll be ok by dinner – J**

Sure ok – B

I don't believe this, something has _happened_! Not that I'm going to say anything, James is right he probably will just cheer up but he's not plain grumpy, I can snap Sirius out of plain grumpy. I daren't ask either of them what's happened though.

"Miss Potter, how would I go about a mass/sound charm nonverbally?" Professor Flitwick has just squeaked out. Well, crap.

_F-A-I-L – S_

You know, somehow I think Sirius is going to be ok. I'm not though.

"Miss Potter! Please! Pay attention!"

Damn.

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A/N: I feel like my chapters are getting shorter and shorter . . . . remember the 5,000 word chapters? ahh, those were the days. Anyway! I'll update asap, why don't you review? Sounds inviting doesn't it? Reviewing? Yeah, and it's so easy . . .


	31. Astronomy

A/N: Hello?

Firstly, my apologies! it's taken me FOREVER to update :/ i'm writing chapter 34 at the moment and it's like 5,000 odd words long already but it's not like i completely left you right? i did post 'what are you afraid of?' so it's not like i just left! . . . sorry!

i have many people to thank: **joanvindiesel, ****MoonWafflesOfDOOM, siriusblack4evaxX,** **mademoiselle-jj1, ****Siriusly luvs Harry Potter, hollydarkside **and**clararox404 **for reviewing the last chapter and favouriting/adding it or me to your story/author alert. You guys really are amazing and it always makes me feel so nice to see that people have been reading it, never mind reviewing when i'm stuck in "form" with my awful, AWFUL teacher - seriously.

also, i must say a great big thank you to **FezzesRCool125 **my close friend, english bud, doctor who, merlin and hp fan/remus lupin obsesser, she's actually the reason that i'm updating (and because of that you should DEFINITELY go read her story . . . do it or i'll get Moony to bite you . . . who am i kidding, only JK Rowling can do that)

This chapter has been lovingly beta-ed by the fantastic **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **without her checking this over it'd probably be terrible :L (go read her stories!) thank you!

**disclaimer thing:** Sirius does a lot of talking in this one . . . and well, his mind and language is a little dirty, it's nothing disgusting still only a T rating but just so he doesn't offend anybody . . .

**FINAALLLYYY **i actually loved writing this chapter! :) i hope you like it!

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**26th Oct. **

**Astronomy**

**1:00am**

Hah! Just had a brilliant astronomy lesson with, believe it or not, Dumbledore! The man is such a legend.

We arrived a little early to the tower and were the first there, due to Remus' incessant whinging that "if Padfoot didn't hurry the hippogriffs up we'd be really late!". We weren't, which Padfoot found most satisfying, silly Moony. The next surprise came when we discovered (upon sneaking in early – shhh) that we had no teacher. Professor Hector had left a note to tell us he was not in school due to family problems and was unsure if cover had been arranged but for us to complete the booklets he'd provided and fill out a star chart for homework.

"We should burn them." Sirius concluded, whipping out his wand to set alight to the pile of parchment that was our work for the hour. Remus stopped him, I wouldn't have.

"What are they even about?" Moony mused, lifting one of the booklets and flipping it open. We all followed suit, peering at their contents curiously.

"Myths about constellations?" Peter laughed and none of us could keep the quirk of a smile hidden, not even Remus, "Has Sir gone a bit soft?" It was one of Peter's amazingly rare funny moments and we all had a good laugh before the smooth, turd-eating voice of Amos Diggory interrupted us.

"Sorry to interrupt the little nerd party but can the rest of us join you?" The undertones of mockery weren't really undertones, we all stiffened and a nasty whir of expletives and insults filled my head.

"Sure," Padfoot threw a booklet at him, "Sir's not here, busy shagging your mum and I must say, she's very good at-" Sirius never finished his sentence, laughing raucously as Diggory lunged forward with a fist raised. It was Lily who pulled him back.

"C'mon, you don't want to get in a fight and not be able to play tomorrow do you?" she soothed quietly. Diggory resorted to just throwing a filthy look at the five of us before taking a seat at the other side of the room; of course, he didn't want to be excluded from the first Hufflepuff quidditch game did he? They play Slytherin tomorrow and according to our talented moles, it's going to be a close match, maybe Diggory will lose! Wouldn't that be the perfect cherry to Gryffindor's metaphorical cake?

We all settled down in our little groups around the room, Lily being the only one to break the house only group rule as she chose to sit with a group of Hufflepuffs – traitor. Not bound by our pairs, I squeezed myself in next to Sirius and Remus, the latter pulled out a big bar of chocolate and split it between us all, Sirius complaining that he was his partner usually and he should get more. A quick look around confirmed that we were the only ones actually looking at the booklets but I stopped caring when Padfoot gave out an excited cry of:

"Guys! I'm in this!" Sure enough, on the second page there was a story about Canis Major, Sirius' constellation. "Let me read it to you!"

"Sirius we can read." Remus expostulated weakly, James nudged him with his shoulder to get him to shut up and let Padfoot do his thing. Remus sighed and gave into Sirius' eager eyes.

"Canis Major is seen in many ancient mythologies as one of the two hunting dogs of Orion, the great hunter…" Padfoot began in an overly dramatic voice, James and I burst out laughing but, of course, Remus wasn't happy at the words being ruined in such a way.

"Sirius!" He complained, "I'm not listening to you if you're going to read like that!" Padfoot looked offended, it was a struggle not to laugh again.

"I don't know what you mean! I'm bringing the words to life, adding some drama into their no doubt boring wordy lives!"

"No! You're . . . you're ruining them! Molesting them with your silly accent and Londoner's tones!" We all gasped in mock horror.

"Surely not!" James and I spoke at exactly the same time.

"Spooky," Padfoot commented as if us saying something at the same time is not a regular occurrence, which it is, before ignoring Moony completely and continuing with his story, "There be many versions of-"

"Are." Remus butted in, pouting slightly like a stubborn child.

"What?"

"I said are."

"Yeah, I heard."

"You said be."

"I know."

"But that's not correct English!"

"Shut up Moony." Sirius started again, "There _BE _ many versions of the story of Orion and Sirius – ooh, I wanna know them all! – here is a Greek one: Orion was madly in love with Metrope, the daughter of King O-en-op-ion, what a name! But he was not allowed to marry her. One day, when he was smashed silly – I'm adding my own _twist_ Remus! – he raped her-"

"It does not say that in there!" Remus cried outraged.

"Does." James pointed to the place in the text and Remus tutted disgustedly.

"Look, dear," Sirius patronised, that glint in his eye, "If the story is a little too mature for your liking I hear Diggory is reading Babbity Rabbity?"

"Shut up Padfoot, just read it."

"Finally! Right, so he raped her and her dad got a bit pissed so he asked this guy, dinosissy? Dionysis! Yeah, he asked . . . him to get revenge on Orion so he made him blinnnddddd."

"Gutting." I added, laughing as Padfoot turned to shush me playfully.

"So Orion went to the oracle and it told him to go to this place and get his sight back."

"Descriptive." Moony snorted, actually joking this time.

"CRETE. He went to Crete and there the goddess of the moon Artemis fell in love with him and forgot to light up the sky at night because she was too distracted by his dashingly handsome looks. However! The sun God, Apollo, was JEALOUS of the mighty Orion because his bitch wanted in his pants."

"Padfoot!"

"My own _twist_ Remus!"

"You are vulgar!"

"You love it. So this Apollo fella decided that he wanted Orion dead and began to think of a way to do it. One day, he challenged Artemis to shoot a tiny speck out in the ocean with an arrow and she did BUT! The speck was Orion and she had shot him dead! Overcome with grief and guilt Artemis placed Orion up in the sky as a constellation – the best constellation ever. But this is not the end of the tale! Nearly, but not quite! Sirius, Orion's faithful hunting dog would not stop hunting for his master so Artemis placed him at his master's feet, loyal and there forever." We burst into a round of slightly sarcastic applause.

"That was so touching Sirius." Remus laughed as Sirius jumped on him, wrestling him into a headlock and rubbing his head with his knuckles until it burnt.

In all the confusion and amusement of Padfoot's little tail (see what I did there?) we hadn't noticed the noise level in the tower soar to an unprecedented amount. The Hufflepuff and Slytherins (although the latter are usually fairly unruffled) had engaged in a full on war, spitting and snarling insults – about quidditch of course.

"WHOA!" James cried, jumping up to try and separate Diggory and Malfoy, both of whom were tussling in a rather violent fist fight. Malfoy had a bust lip and I was secretly pleased to see Diggory's nose spurting a scarlet fountain and slightly off centre.

"Get out of it _Potter_!" One of them yelled, pushing my brother away whilst still trying to batter the other. It's funny really, they're all wizards yet they don't use their wands?

"No." James shoved them both back and momentarily they stopped, looking surprised that such a scrawny tosser like my brother has so much strength. "You both get out of it and get over it! Your match is _tomorrow _and at this rate you're both going to be suspended." A contrasting silence flooded the room as James continued to hold them apart, deadly calm.

"Oh yeah? This isn't any of your business Potter!" Diggory wiped the blood from his lips and nose where it had been steadily dripping, it splattered on the floor and somewhere behind him I saw Lily turn a paler shade of white. She hates blood.

"I think you'll find it is, I'm Head Boy," He managed to stop himself from giving any sign of being proud of it, although I know he secretly is, "As much as you don't like it Diggory, and I've been told I have to stop people fighting over pointless shite like this!" The noise level rose up again as both the Hufflepuff and Slytherin sides objected a gentle cough drew my eyes away from the fight and to the large doors, a crack of light falling onto the marble as they were cracked open just slightly. The cough seemed only to have been heard by me and a grin swept across my face as I saw who was at the door: none other than Albus Dumbledore himself.

"Ahem!" He coughed a little louder, responding to my grin with an amused smile of his own. James was still battling the two apart. "Boys?" This got their attention sure enough, as if synchronised to the second, every pair of eyes in the room turned to meet Dumbledore's. Shock, fear and the occasional spot of relief was evident in their depths.

"Professor!" James began a nervous hand jumping to his hair.

"Ah! No need to explain Mr Potter, I've been here a good ten minutes and I know _exactly _what has happened." The room fell back into an anticipatory silence. "I suggest that Miss Evans, you accompany Mr Diggory and Mr Malfoy to the hospital wing and-"

"Err, Professor," Lily began cautiously, eyes fixed at the ceiling, "I really, err, blood." Dumbledore nodded at her explanation, smiling slightly.

"Perhaps then Mr Lupin if you would be so kind?" Remus' eyes lit up slightly at being called to attention and he nodded in agreement making his way over to the door and gesturing for the two bloodied boys follow him. "I don't mind the use of magic if another fight breaks out Remus." Dumbledore smiled and when a little mischievous quirk twitched at the corner of Moony's lips the two other boys began to look a little scared, following behind him carefully distanced away from the other. "Right! Now, seeing as only one group of students has actually taken it upon themselves to begin to look at the work that has been set I suggest you all take your booklets and go to bed and it is advised you study this material and do the work before next lesson though because Sir will expect you to know this." He paused and surveyed to students, some splattered in blood looking increasingly sheepish as his piercing blue eyes swept over them. "Off you trot then! All except Gryffindors, I want a word."

The other students filed out of the door, purposefully obedient whilst we remained behind feeling more than a little confused. James had shuffled back towards Sirius and I, no doubt we were his moral support should Dumbledore give him a bollocking – no that the man gives out bollockings very often, in fact, I don't think he's ever personally told me off at all. Everybody failed to notice all of us bar James and Lily were still clutching our little booklets, fingers stuck in the page Padfoot had been reading from.

"I just wanted to praise your mature and responsible reactions to the situation you were in tonight, you sat and began the work set for you, of course adding your own _twists _which of course are encouraged, just not in a test," Dumbledore began, smiling broadly as Sirius asked:

"Sir, can you please explain that to Moo- Remus?"

"Mr Potter," James blushed deeply before the Headmaster even had time to compliment him, "You're shaping up to be quite the Head Boy - we all know some had their doubts but you acted splendidly tonight therefore I believe some House points may be in order . . . hm, let's say ten points for each Gryffindor present, and twenty for the courageous Mr Lupin and that is?" He asked me, how much of a complete fool would I have felt if I'd counted it up wrong?

"Eighty?" It was more a question than an answer and I was flooded with relief when Dumbledore smiled and nodded.

"Eighty points! Well done Gryffindors, now off to bed with you as well!" We grabbed our things wishing sir a good night as we left, "And no sneaking out past curfew!"

We were almost up to the Common Room when Sirius turned to face James and I (we were midway through a quidditch debate about the match tomorrow) with an unnaturally shaken expression on his face.

"If Dumbledore was there for ten minutes . . . did he hear me say bitch?"

This is coming from the boy who got three weeks worth of detentions for posting a "words to describe Snape's mum" list (for every letter of the alphabet) in the corridors. Merlin, do help us.

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A/N: hehehe Sirius, you've got to love him! i'm doing my best to battle through this mega halloween chapter but it's hard! :( you know, a review might just make me work that little bit quicker . . .


	32. Slytherin vs Hufflepuff

A/N: Look at this! Another update!

as always i have my thank yous to make :) **FezzesRCool125 **(who actually persuaded me to update, you could thank he by reading her stories ;) )**, joanvindiesel **(you're review was amazing, i'm always happy to help you procrastinate!)**, siriusblack4evaxX **(it has been TOO long! i'm sorry :( )**, **whoever was **2lazy2login right nowP **(i want my cookie!) and **Lil Miss Sunshine14**.

also i must thank my awesome beta - **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **she's actually fantastic! i would suggest you go read her stories, they're ace. in fact if you go read her stories (and review of course) i'll update faster, it'll be like a second motivation! :)

WARNING: **ACTUAL PLOT** thought i'd better warn you seeing as it's been so long since i've posted something that was a filler type thing :L enjoy!

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**27****th**** Oct**

**Slytherin v Hufflepuff **

**1:00pm**

Just got back from the Slytherin v Hufflepuff match – not that I even saw most of it – Hufflepuff won, obviously, but it was a lot closer than our game (both teams scored, haha! Ravenclaw sucks!) I think the final score was something like 360 – 220 so it really could have been either team that won it. Diggory seemed very pleased with this result, overplaying the whole victory thing, but it was funny because he tried to swoop over to Lily (he'd told her where to sit, what an arsehole) to "celebrate" with her but she wasn't there! He spent about three minutes scanning different areas of the crowd, us all giggling at his face, including Lily who'd managed to hide herself partially behind James.

"Anyone would think you didn't want to give your boyfriend a victory kiss." Sirius grinned amicably, surprising for a Padfoot that had just been rejected for a hug, and Lily blushed a little, shushing him whilst trying to remove any traces of tear stains.

"Sorry guys I'd better . . ." She gestured over to the Hufflepuff crowd, all of them were jumping and screaming like maniacs but there was nowhere near as much noise as there was when we won, that had been deafening. We all nodded a little glumly, wanting to keep Lily to ourselves a little longer now that we're back friends.

See I would never have suspected that today of all days she would come and apologise, her boyfriend was showing off on the quidditch pitch, him and James had a had a punch up during astronomy the night before. Despite all that she still meandered her way through the jumping and cheering crowd, granted it was quieter on the Gryffindor side, the majority of us unimpressed, to find herself shaking and mute in front of James and I.

"Could I, um, please, talk to you both?" She asked over the screams as Diggory scored again. James and I shared a confused glance but nodded anyway and followed her down the steps until we were at the base of the stands, out of view from anyone. "I just wanted to say," She began, eyes looking a little glassy like she wanted to cry, "I'm really sorry for how much of a stupid bitch I've been." Both our mouths fell open in shock, Lily was _apologising? _"I know it probably doesn't mean anything because – aw crap – I've buggered up everything, and I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean any of it." The tears that threatened to spill over did and she wiped them away quickly. "I don't know what I can say to make you understand how sorry I am. Really. Or like what I could do to make it up to you." _Get rid of Diggory._ _Get rid of Diggory. Get rid of Diggory. Get rid of Diggory. Get rid of Diggory. _I looked at James sneakily and the uncomfortable look on his face told me he was thinking EXACTLY the same thing. He opened his mouth to speak and I was suddenly filled with horror, we couldn't ask Lily to dump Diggory!

"I don't understand." That was what fortunately came out of James' mouth. He really did look confused. "Why? . . . You're apologising?" Lily nodded, sniffing.

"I tried to . . . work something out but it didn't work – I feel so stupid." I frowned again, she had to work something out and to do that she had to go out with the largest prick in the school, cut her best friend off and be the biggest bitch to everyone that cares about her? What. A. Strange. Girl. "Please, we don't have to be friends, I can understand why you wouldn't want to be friends, I just want you both to know that I'm really, really sorry, really."

I honestly didn't know what to think. On one hand, I was confused and still a little angry, I mean, she'd point blank ignored me, been a complete bitch to me and really hurt my twin. On the other there was the side of me that really, honestly wanted to be friends again. I'm not heartless. I've missed her like a hole in the head. There are things you just can't talk about or do around your brother(s)! The side that missed her won, naturally, I'm just far too forgiving. However, before I could tell her she'd been forgiven James had pulled her into a hug. It was a strange, but somehow just right sight to see Lily wrapped up in James' arms sobbing a little into his shirt.

"'M sorry." She bowed her head as James straightened his shirt, flushing crimson as I raised my eyebrow at him, he so fancies her it's untrue. Funny though, how all the things they said about each other, to one another, were all lies.

"Lily," I began, wanting to say something awe-inspiring and independent. Her head snapped up and her green eyes looked sadly into mine. Unfortunately, "I've really missed you." was the pathetic sentence that found its way out. It didn't seem to matter though, Lily came at me like a ginger hurricane and I was nearly pushed over as I was hugged immensely.

"Brilliant." The smug voice of one Sirius Orion Black broke the sound of James' and my laughter, "I always knew Billie as a lesbian would be pretty hot." Lily pulled away – _finally_ my ribs were killing me! – and turned to see Sirius and Remus, I have no idea where Pete was, walking towards us, Padfoot with a huge smirk and Remus smiling a little embarrassedly. I shot Padfoot a mock glare and he winked back, silly bastard.

"Remus," Lily began earnestly, "I'm really-"

"Sorry?" He cut her off, smiling more genuinely, "You're forgiven from me." Lily looked absolutely overcome with emotion and ran over to crush Remus' bones as well.

"Thank you guys, I- I? I don't know what to say!"

"Good news Evans," Sirius told her, she looked over at him a little suspiciously. "I forgive you too." Lily frowned, thinking.

"We weren't friends before all this?" She replied much to James' and Remus' amusement.

"Well, can't I have a hug anyway?" He smiled sweetly, spreading out his arms. With a shared grin we all strode past him, walking back up into the stands where the Hufflepuff seeker had just caught the snitch. Sirius harrumphed loudly and followed up behind me. It is a sad, sad day when Sirius Black can't even get a hug off me.

**9:00pm**

Lily has been dragged off to the Hufflepuff celebration party so I am, once again, on my lonesome with only little Stumpy to keep my company. Oh wait! Nope, now he's gone too, do I smell or something? I guess I shouldn't feel as sour as I do that Lily's gone, we've spent the whole day together, just talking about things that have happened to the both of us that we haven't been able to share with anyone. Lily had a huge rant about how awful "Amos'" friends are. I bit my tongue and stopped myself from reminding her that Diggory was pretty awful too but she somehow read my thoughts.

"Billie, he is really nice when you get to know him, he just . . . hates your brother!" I gave her a funny look but couldn't hold it and we ended up collapsing in a fit of giggles. It felt so good just to be able to laugh together again after the prolonged stony silence. Still, I refuse to believe Amos Diggory is a nice person. We also talked in detail about last night, Lily seemed highly impressed with James actions, and I quote: "I knew there was some Head Boy in there somewhere!" so I tentatively asked whether they'd be patrolling together any time soon. Apparently, it's up to James, though HE SO FANCIES HER STILL, HE SO FANCIES HER STILL, HE SO FANCIES HER STILL, HE SO FANCIES HER STILL! Merlin am I childish? But I don't think he'd say no. Lily says she could just tell Diggory that McGonagall has requested that they patrol in proper pairs; I bet he wouldn't argue with that, he's been quiet as a mouse since the whole Snape thing – now that he knows that she knows how he tried to frame us.

Well I hope they're all having fun. Not.

I don't know what to do with myself. It's probably too late to go for a fly or a run because I'd just end up breaking curfew and getting a detention. I have no idea where the boys are, I could go check their dorm but they're more likely to be gallivanting off somewhere and James will have taken the map so I have no hope of finding them. Alice, though I rarely speak to her anyway but we do have the occasional laugh together, is most likely with Frank. In fact, who am I kidding, she's ALWAYS with Frank! I could do some work, maybe. I have, let me check . . . three essays due in on Monday and I've only done half of one. Transfiguration, Potions (I get feeling that one is going to be particularly nasty as Slughorn is still pissed that Sirius made fun of Snape right in front of him) and History of Magic. I think I can see Lily's note folder, I'm pretty sure we're back on note-sharing terms, after all, all mine consist of is about three relevant words and reams of written conversations between the guys and I. Nah, she won't mind.

If I listen to the radio this could be relatively painless.

**11:30pm**

Did I say painless?

Where on _Slytherin's slimy arse cheeks _is Lily?

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A/N: reviews are love, i need your love.


	33. Psst Halloween!

A/N: Hey guys!

I would firstly like to apologise for the lack of updates, but it's exam season and spanish is killing me. *is dead* see! all though i've been inspired because my teacher actually looks like dobby. it's untrue!

*reawakens*

I want to say thank you to all my readers, YOU actually. it's you guys that really keep me going when i'm only allowed on the internet to conjugate verbs and to research minor scales so thank you so, so very much for all the support and love you've given to this story and to me, it means so much! of course there are all my fantastic reviewers, alerters and favourite-ers! **joanvindiesel, bananafreak97, siriusblack4evaxX, FezzesRCool125, P.A. Faraway, Rant of an Unstable mind, mademoiselle-jj1, Siriusly luvs Harry Potter, Sarcasm 221 0 **and** Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer** i'm really sorry i haven't got round to actually replying to your reviews like i used to, but if it makes you feel better you have stopped me from murdering dobby. yeah, you're house elf/spanish teacher LIFE SAVERS!

I want to give love to two other people that brought this chapter to you today:

the first is my INCREDIBLE beta **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe - **you would not believe the amount of mistakes in this before she worked her magic on it so as thanks i think you should all go, if you haven't already, and read (and review?) her stories, they're ace! I mean, i beta one of them! nah just kidding, she really is amazing :)

the other is someone who doesn't actually have but someone who managed to persuade me to update, her name is cait and **_IT'S HER BIRTHDAYY! _**happy birthday dear, i hope you've had a good day! (you have to review now, just kidding!)

**IMPORTANT: **If you don't know what a "teddy bat" is . . . don't ask, it's in the chapter! then i'm thinking along the lines of this: h t t p : / / w w w . c o r f e b e a r s . c o . u k / o s p - 1 6 8 2 . p h p

haha, enjoy!

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**30****th**** Oct**

**Psst . . . Halloween!**

**10:00am**

Sat in Charms, boring, boring, boring . . .

_Pssst – S_

**Pssssst – J**

PSSSST! – R

Oh, it's note time! Much less boring!

What's up guys? – B

_I'm up – S_

Don't be so crude Padfoot! Actually, there is something up – R

**Although it's kinda down – J**

I blinked a couple of times, watching as the handwriting of my best friends/brothers appear on my charmed parchment. What were they on about?

I don't understand, do enlighten me – B

**Prepare for enlightenment – J**

_Subject suitably prepared for enlightenment – S_

**Initiating enlightenment – J**

_Enlightenment initiated – S_

**Enlightenment process starting – J **

_Starting . . . – S_

Guys! Shut up what's going on! – B

Halloween! – R

_Oh well done, just ruin all the suspense why don't you! – S_

**Yeah! Remus! You're no fun! – J**

Fine, I'll take my combination of level-headedness and extremely amazing ideas elsewhere shall I? Some of my Ravenclaw friends are having a party I'll go there if I'm "no fun" – R

_You have friends? – S_

**That aren't us? – J**

You're missing the point. – R

Remus, they're sorry, now EXPLAIN why is Halloween down, Halloween is never down! – B

_Is this year – S_

Why? – B

**Chill it Billie! Remus will explain . . . – J**

Because I'm no fun? – R

_Shh, just get on with it Remus, I'm not going to be young and incredibly handsome forever! Well, I won't be young . . . – S_

I'm going to just ignore that. Halloween is on a school night Billie, that's why it's down – R

So? – B

Halloween has been on a school night quite a few times during our seven years here at Hoggywarts, it's never really mattered before. We started having our own little parties in third year by then we'd made a big name of ourselves although it is funny to think back and see that 17 year olds went to a group of 13 year olds' party. There's no way we'd be attending a third year's party. We were just that cool. I suppose though, before it's never _really _mattered but in the past years we weren't just looking for an excuse to get inexplicably smashed. And this year is our last! We really want to be able to let go and have a really good time! It's a right!

We'll have lessons the next day – R

_McGonagall will eat us? – S_

Sobriety potions? Vanish spells? It'll be fine, she won't do anything too bad because she'll know it's the last year she'll have to put up with us – B

**You make very good points – J**

Indeed – R

Sirius? – B

_Whatever, that's what I was about to say! – S_

Sure . . . So! What plans have we got? – B

_Errrm . . . ? – S_

James? – R

**Um, none? – J**

No way. – B

We've had six years of these parties. We're out of new plans – R

Good job you've got me – B

**Yeah, where would we be without you Billie? – J**

_Well I'd have a girlfriend – S_

What? How am I stopping you from having a girlfriend? – B

_It's a joke Billie__ . . . – S_

He's so funny is our Sirius, not.

**So . . . what are your ideas then? – J**

Well, we need to invite people this year, we don't want Diggory there, even if it means we can't have Lily then we'll have to deal with it. So we need to work out how to get invitations out only to the people we like . . . and decorations, we theme-ing it again this year? Or you know a colour scheme, something that goes with gold and red though . . . food and booze, and other drinks for the kiddies, we'll have the feast but maybe we could get onto the elves? Sirius you're a charmer and they love you . . . Outfits as well! – B

I don't think that my little list there was too bad, it covered the major aspects we need to think of and obviously the boys needed something to get the cogs turning and that might have done it. You know, I'm really relieved that I'm back friends with Lily, Halloween really wouldn't be the same without her. She's my Halloween buddy, there's nothing else to it – we always pick our outfits together, get ready together, decorate the Common Room, Lily has a REALLY good eye for interior décor and then, of course, we usually spend the whole night getting smashed together.

_Where would we be without you Billie__? – S_

I'm going to pretend there's no sarcasm there and thank you for your comment Padfoot – B

_Pleasure – S_

**Right! I'm all excited ****now; let's start from the top – invites! – J**

What about putting up a list in the Great Hall and getting people to RSVP there? It's quick and easy – R

**Reemussss! That's BORING! We're the Marauders for Merlin's sake! ****People expect flair and masterful displays of magic! – J**

Oh yes, sorry I forgot, I'm the boring one – R

_Take the stick o__ut of your hairy arse and smile. James is just saying we can do it better – S_

Turn that frown upside down Moony! – B

_What? – S_

. . . Doesn't matter. – B

**What about personal invites, we could design one and copy it by magic and then get some first years to hand them out in return for some firewhiskey! – J**

James! You're Head Boy! You can't give First Years booze! – R

_No, but I can – S_

For Merlin's sake, no booze for under fifth years, I mean it! – R

_Sheeesh – S_

We don't really want snotty first years handing out or invites, that's not cool, we need to find a way to get the invites out using magic or something – B

**True, you know we could just go tell people face to face like in the good old days? – J**

_And y__ou called Remus boring . . . – S_

I know! – B

Enlighten us! – R

**Prepare for enlightenment – J**

DON'T start that again! – B

**Damn. – J**

Anyway! Seeing as it's Halloween why don't we have invitation BATS? – B

_I'm __sold, I chuffing love bats – S_

I don't understand, please explain – R

Well, we'll charm teddy bats to go and find the people and they can have the invite written on them that way the people get to keep the bats after as well – B

_Do I get one? – S_

If you want? - B

_Sold, sold, sold – S_

**Billie! That's genius! – J**

I like it! But where are we going to get all the bats? – R

Umm, Dad's got that one in the garage? James, you could floo mum and get her to get it for us? And then we'll just copy it like we were going to with the invites anyway – B

You're not allowed to floo from any of the Hogwarts fires, it's a safety precaution, they're all under watch only the teacher's ones are unblocked – R

_Then we'll use a teacher's – S_

**Even I can admit that's too risky, unless the Jubemaster lets us? – J**

He's not allowed, he'd loose his job. I told you it's a safety precaution – R

Remus, do you study the rule book? – B

No, but you guys should. No flooing – R

_Tell me some more about this "blocking" system – S_

It's a simple but effective magic ward, it is physically possible to floo out but it set's off alarms in the master fireplace, which I presume would be Dumbledore's – R

_I can get rid of that – S_

Your confidence both astounds and amuses me, Padfoot, you cannot get rid of it! It was probably set up by Dumbledore himself – R

_You'll eat your words; I'll have it__ disabled by tomorrow morning – S_

I'll eat you. – R

_. . . - S_

**Ok, well until then what about decorations? – J **

Lily and I can do decorations, we usually do – B

**Yeah, but we all want to decide – J**

In most of the past years we've had themes, for decorating and dress. Dead Pirates, Apocalypse, Masquerade Ball – that one was FUN. But we'd had to spend weeks and weeks planning those before, not to mention giving the other students time to get a good costume two days isn't really fair. Problem is, before, we were just able to transfigure the entire common room (apart from the Pirate one we had that on a boat in the middle of the Black Lake. Yeah, a BOAT. Padfoot would never say where he got it from . . . or where it went . . .) into our scene, between the five of us there was pretty amazing transfiguration skill, now we have to keep it pretty simple but nothing, I mean, _nothing_ goes with red and gold! Godric Gryffindor obviously didn't think of our celebratory needs when he designed our common room!

_Black – S_

Look at that! Sirius knows his name! Awww – R

_Shut up lover boy, I meant we should just have it all black, and maybe red, that's simple and halloweeny enough – S_

**So we just ****transfigure everything black? – J**

If we do that we won't get the stuff back to how it was before – R

_OI! Hear that Billie? Once you go Black, you never go back – S_

**Touch her and I'll hex your balls blue – J**

_Fine. – S_

Thanks James? Anyway, Remus is right, that furniture has been preserved for hundreds of years, if we change it black and err, can't get it back, well no doubt even Dumbledore would be pissed – B

**Fine, we'll store the furniture in our dorm by shrinking it and then we'll have more space for dancing anyway – J**

Sounds fine, shrinking charms are easily reversed – R

_So are __colour change spells but, you know – S_

I'm ignoring you – R

_OK – S_

_**Right, what was next? – J**_

Food and booze – B

_Food? – P _

**Hey Pete? – J**

_You don't have any food? – P_

No. We're talking about Halloween – R

_Right, well, I'm off back to sleep then – P _

**Seeya Pete? – J**

We all looked over to where Pete was slouching in his chair, he had dropped his quill down on his desk again and the still inky nib had left splatters all over his piece of parchment, luckily not appearing on ours and within seconds he was gone to the world, his quiet snores intermingling with those of all the other slackers in the classroom. Obviously we weren't slacking, no, we were planning. It's highly important to plan you know, McGonagall is always lecturing us about it.

_He's gone man – S_

Food and booze then? – R

**Well booze is easy, we'll get some of Rosmerta as usual, she loves me so there's no problem there but this year I think people should make a contribution because it all cost a mint last year and the other party goers didn't pay squat – J**

_Good point, if anyone complains – Nah, no-one's going to dare complain. Oh, and James, Rosie loves me best it's obvious – S_

**Wanna bet? – J**

_James, man, I know it's hard but really, she's even in admitted that if she was ten years younger she'd shag me – S_

Yeah and you, the great big slut you are, told her you'd shag her anyway! – B

_Billie, that woman is seriously hot stuff can't help it - S_

And food? – R

**Thank you Moony, I for one feel that the conversa****tion was taking a wrong turn there – J**

_Jealous – S_

FOOD, is not a problem, Sirius and I can go persuade the House Elves, they love us – B

Sorted then – R

_Oh so it's not just Rosmerta that loves me? – S_

**Outfits? Billie! We're so teaming up again that was so fun last year! – J**

Agreed! – B

Last year James and I went in almost identical outfits, not as geeky as it sounds. We looked amazing! Seriously, we're both pretty pale anyway so the "undead" look really suits us (paleness suits us?), sexy vampire twins for the win. We have pictures to prove it.

_I have an idea but it's a secret – S_

**Ohh the suspense! – J**

No Sirius! I'm on tenterhooks you can't do this! – R

Please Padfoot! – B

_Sarcasm not appreciated - S_

**1****2:00am**

Still awake! I know it's quite normal for me to still be up at this time but I'm up, like, really up. Padfoot, the stupid sod is determined to make Remus eat is words and to disable this floo ward. Even though James could always _write _to mum and ask her to send the toy! Obviously Remus wasn't going to stay up with Sirius and help him, Peter would be no help so he was allowed to go to bed and James went on patrol then complained he was too tired to stay up and tinker around with it tonight. Isn't he an absolute waste? Padfoot told him so. Yeah, glad it wasn't me . . . We've been at this for ages now, Lily was the last one up to bed, helping me to do my Herbology annotations for most of the night. As soon as her red mane disappeared out of sight Padfoot had brandished his wand and was casting cooling charms on the flames so he didn't get burnt. Somehow he managed to get a hold of some floo powder, when I asked he merely turned and winked, reminding me that it's "so damn good" to have contacts in the right places. I didn't push it, already pretty bored.

That was an hour and a half ago, really, watching Padfoot's head disappearing and reappearing into the fire place is pretty dull and he was becoming less and less of a conversationalist as more and more of his spells failed. I wonder what he'd say if I told him I was tired and went off to bed? If I was sneaky enough I could do a runner up to the dorm when he's in the fireplace, he probably wouldn't even notice I was gone until he needed me to pass him another spell book or something.

**3****:00am**

"You don't have to stay you know." He said suddenly, making me jump. I blushed and was rewarded with a throaty, tired chuckle. "Honest, you can go to bed if you want. I'm not really being much fun, I just, really need to get this done." He turned, wand still clutched loosely, to face me properly. His eyes looked tired and I got a wash of sympathy for the boy. Poor Padfoot, if only he didn't love bats so much.

"I'm fine." I told him quietly, subconsciously keeping the tone of my voice low in case anyone heard. Plus it would spoil the peaceful mood that had just settled around us. I shuffled off the sofa to come and join him on the rug, facing the damn stubborn fire place again. "Can I help?" I asked carefully, flicking through a couple of the books Sirius had littered around us.

"You can talk to me?" He smiled, a little light coming into his sleepy eyes. I frowned. "Keep me sane, I think this might take a while."

"Sure." I couple stop the small smile spreading across my face too. Padfoot continued to smile at me for a few more seconds and the look on his face, I just wanted to hug him or grab his hand or something. It was strangely intimate but casual at the same time. "What do you want me to talk to you about?" His smile widened.

So that's how I spent the rest of my night, curled up next to the fireplace, talking to Sirius and absentmindedly picking fluff and lint off his discarded cloak. He never really replied, he mmm-ed and nodded in the right places but I knew he wasn't being rude, he just had to concentrate. I noticed the little crease he gets between his eyebrows when he's concentrating, it's cute as you rarely see Sirius Black _concentrating_, life is far too unworthy of Sirius Black's concentration. It did make me wonder though, he knew there were other options of getting this damn bat and we both knew Moony wouldn't gloat if we couldn't get it working so why was he concentrating so hard on this?

Eventually though, Sirius did it. I was in the middle of talking about Lily and my plans for the decorations (lots of black, lots of red it's going to look AMAZING) when he practically jumped out of the fireplace.

"I've done it!" He grinned manically, "I think I've done it!" I was shocked to say the least, reaching to grab a handful of floo powder and saying my address. I couldn't believe it when my bedroom materialized in front of my eyes. It was a strange sensation really, to have your body in one place and your head in another. Mum had been cleaning, I noticed.

"Well done!" I pulled my head out of the fire place with a small pop, "Write down exactly what you did so you know, just in case." He nodded, still grinning grabbing a quill from my bag and scribbling out a set of spells on a scrap bit of parchment. He dropped it to the floor before tackling me into a massive bear hug.

"Billie . . ." He began at the door the boys' dorm after a long good night hug, "Thank you, for you know, staying."

I couldn't think of a reply to that so I just hugged him again. He didn't seem to mind.

* * *

A/N: Awww, Billius love :)

the easter holidays are coming soon, i'll update - i'll try! please review, you never know, it could save dobby's life . . .


	34. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A/N: Hey guys, are you prepared for what's going to probably be the longest author's note i will ever post?

firstly, of course, i have my thank yous to make - let's face it without you guys i would have given up long ago!

**joanvindiesel, Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer, Lost In The Rain, FezzesRCool125, siriusblack4evaxX **and **Anonymous **:) you're all amazing! just as amazing as my wonderful beta **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe**, the person in charge of actually making my writing readable! how i wish i had her in my english exams ;) and due to the extreme effort she's put into beta-ing all these chapters for us all you should totally go and read her stuff . . . soon :)

right, so here's where all the boring stuff comes in . . .

about the whole story:

i've always known what i wanted to do with the story and where i wanted to take it, what ships i wanted and so on so i decided i'd finalise my "long term plot". thing is, when i did that i realised that the story/diary was probably going to be over 100+chapters long, which is ridiculous and pretty unreadable for anyone. unfortunately i just really don't want to have to cut things out or only have billie write once a week because is life really like that? personally i hate fics that go from the first day and going on the hogwarts express to halloween in like 3 chapters (not saying you should do it in 30 like me though . . .) it's not realistic. so i spoke to **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **and it was suggested that i split the diary up into like a part one and a part two (maybe even a part three, i need to work it out) because then i wouldn't have to miss anything out and it'd be like 2/3 stories instead of one if you get me?

so i need to know _**what you think**_ on this because if you don't like the idea i need to do some sirius plot thinning haha!

about this chapter: 

this chapter is the halloween chapter (on the 31st of october) and as you know they're planning a party. well, i don't want anyone to be disappointed with this chapter because it's not actually the party *dodges items being thrown* that's next chapter . . . BUT! you can't really complain because this chapter's like 5,500 words long and it took me yonks to write! so sorry if it's not what you were hoping for but at least i'm updating right? :)

pointless news: 

i joined quizilla (I HATE IT! IT'S SO RUBBISH!) under the name of **homessinkinglikestones **(coldplay LOVE) but i'm only posting this story on there at the moment so it's nothing exciting. i also tried to join LJ but i don't understand it at all so i gave up on that one :L so if anyone fancies teaching me how to use it inbox me or something haha!

LAST THING! dobby has been saved! i went in to spanish catch up and although he was in a really bad mood he's definitely still alive - and that's thanks to you guys! aannndddd i went to malham cove the other day, where they filmed part of HP7 part 1. it was pretty funny, there were 451 stairs to the top and hundreds of people were climbing up them, saying harry potter and walking back down haha!

**_ENJOY! _**

* * *

**31****st**** Oct**

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN! **

**11****:00am**

The preparations have begun. I swear this Halloween is going to be the best ever!

The boys and I have decided that we're just not going to go to lessons today, Arithmacy is what we're missing now and let's be honest, I don't do any work in that class anyway. The boys and I just sit and send notes to one another so we aren't missing anything there unless of course Professor Leonard actually finds a sense of humour, we could miss that. Then we should have a double period of DADA but we'll just turn up randomly one night this week and get Sir to teach us it all then, or you know, I can pinch Lily's notes. After that it'd be lunch then charms – I'll just use Lily's notes again and there is no way any of the seventh years will be turning up to astronomy tonight. Sorry Sir, but we're getting smashed!

Remus surprised us all this morning by saying that he wasn't going to lessons either. This was after all the hullabaloo caused when Sirius told him that he'd got the floo working, he did take it a bit too far, i.e. pushing Remus' head through and holding him there, but Moony had the grace to look a little bitter and promised Padfoot that he would indeed "eat his words" though, "at breakfast, I'm starving!". Lily sat with us for the first time this morning, it was strange to have her back but extremely satisfying at the same time, like a big hole had been filled.

"You came up late last night." She noted, buttering a piece of toast purposefully. Sirius and I exchanged a look of worry. Well it would have been worry if he wasn't grinning.

"Yeah." I replied lamely.

"How many school rules were you breaking?" She asked, smirking a little as I blushed, "Or don't I want to know?" I took a long swig of pumpkin juice before replying.

"You don't want to know, trust me." Sirius laughed and I cast him a wary look.

"Not just school rules." He grinned at the sour look on both Lily's and Remus' face, "But if it makes you feel better, we didn't leave the Common Room."

"Surprisingly, it does." Lily replied a little frown touching her forehead as if she was confused at the revelation herself.

I then had to break the news to her that I wasn't going to be in lessons either. None of us were. She seemed a lot more put out at this, it was mostly directed at James and Remus, the Head Boy and the Prefect, who were missing a day's worth of "vital learning!" to prepare for a party. Apparently, she expected nothing less of Sirius. She told him so. Still, all throughout breakfast Lily was being pleasantly amicable with us all, laughing at some of the less offensive jokes and the usual morning banter between the ridiculously alert Sirius and the slightly less morning accustomed Remus. All too soon the bell went and Lily got up to leave, glancing, I noticed, a little nervously over at her 'boyfriend'/world's biggest prick who was eyeing James up like he might like to strangle him. Siriusly, the prick needs to get a hobby. She wished us good bye and in return we wished her good luck, I probably wouldn't see her at lunch because we can't really come to the Great Hall as no doubt a teacher will see us and drag us to lesson by the ears. You never know, we might end up being dragged to lesson by the ears anyway. After sneaking back up to the empty Common Room (we are very good at sneaking you know) it was time for business and I mean _business_.

Our first job, was following on from last night, we needed to get all the invitations sorted and pretty quickly too. As soon as the last students had left with an extra book or quill or whatever they needed James set to work flooing mum to get the bat.

"This better work." He threatened Pads before throwing a fistful of the powder into the fire, turning it an impressive green colour and sticking his head into the embers, saying our address as he did so. James was gone for quite a few minutes, we couldn't really hear the conversation only faint echoes of what James was saying but finally he reappeared with a pop, a black fluffy bat held triumphantly in his mouth. Padfoot suggested Remus eat his words again but we didn't really have time for that as Sirius had to close the floo channel again, doing the exact reverse of what he did last night so no-one would notice we'd used it. To make things go a little quicker we split off into two teams, Sirius, Peter and I worked on the invitations and Remus and James (because they're more _sensible_) got the job of getting rid of all the furniture. We had a list of about 250 people that we needed to create invites for and this one teddy bat wasn't going to be able to get word round to everybody. Sirius did the first charm, he obviously didn't trust Pete and I to do it, even though I'm better at charms than him! I found myself laughing in shock as Sirius cast the spell, once, twice then suddenly we were knee deep in black fluffy bats. After a few woops and high fives we had to find a way to get each of the individual invitations onto the things, then make them fly.

Another wasted half an hour later Padfoot and I managed to find the correct combination of spells and finally the toys were flapping about our heads, trying to find a suitable place to hang upside down like a real bat would, we really are clever, Padfoot and I. There were many more cheers and woops. Many more.

"What next?" Padfoot asked, grinning madly because there were _bats! _

"MERLIN!" Came the voice of Remus from the staircase as he observed the fluttering bats a little apprehensively. I hadn't noticed but all the time Sirius and I were trying different charms the furniture in the Common room was gradually being shrunk and taken upstairs.

"You did it?" James' head appeared he too was wearing a purely delighted look to match mine and Sirius'.

"I did." Sirius stepped forward through the sea of black fluff before I pulled him back.

"_We _did."

After that Remus pointed out that we couldn't actually begin to decorate with all these bats flying around so we either had to postpone decorating and do something else or release them straight away. Problem was, if we sent them out during lesson time there would be absolute chaos and our heads would be placed firmly under the guillotine. It doesn't help that we're missing all of today's lessons. No doubt McGonagall is going to be incredibly mad when she finds out. So we had to find something else to prepare. It didn't make sense for us to go down into Hogsmede right now, besides there was more chance of us bumping into a teacher or someone that would recognise us as students. Instead, we decided to do our pumpkin carving, the best part of Halloween preparations in my opinion.

"No." Padfoot told me firmly when I rolled the magically enhanced pumpkin over to him and covered the floor with someone's forgotten Daily Prophet to save it from being ruined by the slimy flesh and seeds.

"What do you mean?" I asked, pausing to read the stiff lipped look on his face. James, Remus and Peter were already getting stuck in to their colossal orange caves, sleeves rolled up as high as they could get them, all were wearing that grin that always appears when you're covered in the unpleasant smelling orange _stuff_ and I was aching to join them.

"No way am I doing _that_." He nodded sharply across the room to the other boys – I could sense a Black paddy coming on.

"Why not? It's really fun!" The pumpkin landed with a heavy thud by his feet, if someone took a photograph of Sirius' face you would have thought I'd just suggested he step in a pile of dog poo.

"Why can't I just use magic?" He crossed his arms, still glaring at that poor pumpkin.

"Because you can't? It's not the way you do it!" I couldn't explain properly the absolute importance of doing it all by hand. James and I have been carving pumpkins since we were old enough to be trusted with a knife and even before that we were the ones who had the job of scraping out the flesh inside. Mum used to save all the seeds and dry them out, hoping that we'd make pictures and bracelets out of them but I think we disappointed her slightly by just having epic Seed Wars and throwing them about all around the house. "It's traditional you do it this way."

Sirius snorted,

"I don't do _tradition_."

"Fine." I replied, if he didn't want to do it the way it has to be done then he might as well not do it at all. I began to roll our pumpkins away, back over to the other guys.

"Hey!" A hand on my back stopped me. I turned to face him, polite as they come.

"Yes Sirius can I help?" He ground his teeth in irritation before sighing and rolling his pumpkin into the semicircle James, Remus and Pete had formed. A satisfactory smirk spread across my face. I won that one Sirius Black. "We'll make a Potter out of you yet." I told him quietly whilst Remus and Pete were listening to James tell a story about the time he got his head stuck inside his pumpkin. Sirius blinked a few times then he blushed very, very slightly, allowing the edges of his mouth to quirk up.

The pumpkins looked amazing. Not to brag or anything, but they were better than the ones that float above your heads at the Halloween Feast in the Great Hall. And we all know how amazing those are! James had carved his to look like an evil witch cackling over a bubbling cauldron.

"Look Billie, it's you!" Sirius _joked, _he's a funny boy that one. Sirius had decided to make his the traditional scary face, it had twisted, evil eyes and a huge smile filled with fangs. I think he was calling all our bluffs when he complained about not carving a pumpkin before. He's certainly very handy with a knife. Although that's probably not something we should dwell on . . . Peter had, I think, tried to copy James a little but halfway through it went really badly wrong for him so he had to start again. Inspired by Stumpy, who walked through and decided to come and sit on Sirius (animals _love _him, I have no idea what it is! You'd have thought that cats would hate the dog smell around him but no, they literally just love him), Pete decided to re-do his in the shape of a cat. It looked really good in the end. I chose to do mine in the shape of a shady looking owl, it wasn't meant to look shady but when it was lit we all decided that it was wearing a very suspicious look, still, I was told it looked "awesome". Remus, the legend that is Remus Lupin, well his pumpkin was the best of them all. He was being very secretive when he was doing the carving, he wouldn't show us or tell us what it was he was doing and even Sirius' puppy dog eyes couldn't break his resolve. When his masterpiece was unveiled we all had a simultaneous reaction. A gasp, a few blinks, a slow "woooooow" and then we burst into peals of laughter.

"Remus, that is . . . BRILLIANT!" James howled with laughter.

Moony, with his ironic sense of self deprecation and humour had carved his pumpkin into the shape of a werewolf eating a player on a broomstick, one with the name, DIGGORY 08 on his cape. It was nothing short of utter genius.

"I love it!" I told him, telling him to shut up when he began to tell us that it was actually not very hard or it was just luck or something like that.

"Hey, we should totally try that next time there's a full moon." Sirius commented smirking therefore earning him a dirty look from Remus and, for an unknown reason, James.

After that we took a quick trip down to the toilets to get cleaned, we really needed to. James and I had had another seed fight, going at it viciously until Sirius actually threw us apart (albeit a little gentler on my side, James nearly broke a rib) and we had all managed to get the remains of the pumpkins' insides in our hair and stuck under our fingernails. I made to go to the Girls' Toilets because _I am a girl _and was surprised to find Sirius following me in.

"No, Padfoot, the boys' loos are over there." I told him in my best patronising voice. He laughed which wasn't really the reaction I was going for.

"But I want to stay with you! And how would you know that I wasn't a girl? You've never seen my downstairs." My _thank Merlin for that _kicked off a very lively and interesting conversation on Sirius' 'downstairs'. He was still trying to explain to me how amazing his 'downstairs' actually was when we emerged from the bathrooms clean once more. James and Remus caught on to what Sirius was talking about and then they proceeded to agree with Sirius and help explain just what Sirius' 'downstairs' was like, why? I have no idea. It ended up with me screaming out:

"SIRIUS I DON'T_ WANT_ TO KNOW WHAT YOUR DICK LOOKS LIKE!"

I didn't realise that we were now outside the Gryffindor Common Room and that the Fat Lady was sat waiting for the password. James took the responsibility of telling her that it was just my time of the month and that she shouldn't pay any attention to my mood. How embarrassing.

**3:00pm**

We went to the kitchens for lunch, obviously we couldn't just rock up in front of all the staff, "Hey guys, yeah we couldn't be bothered to come to your lessons but we're going to be stupid enough to turn up now and allow you to threaten us with detention if we don't go to the afternoon ones." Not going to happen. So we set the bats free – you should have heard the portraits screaming as we set them off to find their personal invitee, in a big black swarm – and then we took our little selves down to the kitchen where we were greeted by the usually perky House Elves.

"Marauders!" They all squeaked to attention, forming a few rows of lines in front of us. I couldn't stop smiling, House Elves are, maybe just after Hippogriffs in my imaginary list of amazing magical creatures. I mean, they live to serve and enjoy it? You can't ask for better than that.

"Good afternoon fellas." James grinned although I'm not sure "fellas" was the word I would've picked. "We have a few requests for you." There was a loud crack as the elf that greeted us disapparated, returning with a roll of parchment and a quill – they know us well.

Peter explained our situation, not being able to go to lunch, and the elves took our orders. Within minutes the food we had asked for was on our laps and while we dug in Pete restrained and asked them if they'd be willing to cook for us again tonight. Of course they agreed, incredibly excitedly actually, and we all began to reel of mental lists of food we liked and we know other people liked. I never knew there were so many foods containing chocolate . . . obviously Remus, our resident choca-holic, did.

"So," James began quietly once the elves had busied themselves with other things again, "Who is going to get booze?"

"Sirius and I." I replied almost immediately James gave me a look and Sirius a suspicious glance, "No James, not because I want to be alone with him, because he can charm the pants of Rosmerta and she just generally likes me. I'm a good substitute in your absence because you can't go-"

"Why?" He complained.

"Because the Head Boy can't be caught sneaking out of school in broad daylight and coming back in with stacks and stacks of fire whiskey that Rosmerta shouldn't have even provided us with. Besides, she always gives us stuff for free when I'm there because she feels sorry for me having to put up with him all the time." I nodded over to Padfoot who was day dreaming and staring off into space. I would love to know what goes on in that boy's head sometimes.

"Fine." My brother grumbled, "I'll stay here and put up some stupid _streamers._"

"Anyone would think you didn't want our company." Remus spoke, his throat thick with whatever chocolate he had just eaten. James never got to reply because at that moment Sirius chose to impart some important knowledge.

"Billie, do you like Frisbees?" A confused silence fell across the group.

" . . . "

"Padfoot are, are you ok?" Peter asked as comfortingly as possible but it was obvious he was holding back laughter.

"What? Oh yeah, just day dreaming . . ." His eyes came into focus and he observed our amused faces before he shrugged at seemed to slip back into what ever he was thinking about.

"Snap out of it Pads, we're going to Hogsmede!" I stood up and grabbed his arm, "See you in a bit guys! Enjoy putting your streamers up James." I ruffled his hair and he gave me a quick, though annoyed, hug before we set off up to the dorm, to get the Map and the cloak.

Soon we were slipping out of Honey Dukes and out on to the cold, blustery streets of Hogsmede. The wind whipped through the cloak and I began to wish I'd put something warmer on.

"Cold Billie?" Pads asked, smirking like a smirking thing. "I'll warm you up if you want." He continued despite my dirty look, obviously flirtatious, "There's an alleyway down there, no-one would ever have to know . . ."

"Don't you have anything better to do than flirt with me?" I asked him tiredly as we reached the back door of the Three Broomsticks.

"Yes." He turned to grin at me, eyes glittering with mischief, "And that is why you should feel so honoured-"

"Sirius."

"Yes dear?"

"Shut up."

"-"

We pulled the cloak off as soon as we got into the cellar, it wouldn't do for Rosmerta to come into the back, hearing our voices and us not actually be there. It was dark as always, the lights broke in our third year (something which may or may not have been Peter's fault) and since then they had never been fixed. Dust lay on the bottles and crates at the far back, on the mead and wine that had been left to mature but the newer bottles of fire whiskey and butter beer looked relatively healthy in the half light from our wands. Listening carefully, we made our way over to the door that leads to the bar I had a long look through the keyhole but the only person I could see was Rosmerta, wiping down the bar with a used cloth. We pushed open the door and began to laugh as she jumped a foot into the air.

"Boo." Sirius laughed as she flicked the wet cloth at him.

"Happy Halloween." I told her vaulting over the bar and taking a stool on the other side, Sirius following suit.

"You two should be in lesson," She told us with an expression a mother might use to tell off a young child who hasn't really done something wrong, "If you get caught in here we'll all get a detention."

"Aw, you're so thoughtful," Sirius smiled one of his ultra-dashing smiles, "We're taking the day off though." Rosmerta tutted and I shrugged.

"Got a big party to plan, you know what it's like and it's our last Halloween at Hogwarts so we want to leave an impression."

"I would have thought you'd want to leave with good grades too." She pulled up a stool opposite us and began to polish glasses. Sirius let out a small laugh,

"Don't worry about that, we're the top students that's why they daren't expel us. Seriously, if we were thick we'd have gone by now." I nodded sadly; it was only the fact that we were damn lucky and did well on tests that kept us in Hogwarts despite our pranks. Rosmerta sighed,

"I have no idea how you manage it, when I was at Hogwarts I had to battle to get decent grades. Oh!" A startled look lit up her face as she remembered something, "Will you tell James that I want the money he owes me?" A frown touched both Sirius' and my foreheads; James hadn't been down to Hogsmede. Had he? A crumpled note was placed on the bar when I saw what it was a loud laugh escaped my lips.

_A firewhiskey and a butterbeer._

_Love, your favourite boy_

_P.S. got no money. will pay later . . . honest._

"Yeah, very funny isn't it?" Sirius snatched the note of the side and held it up, "I see so **James **is your favourite boy? **James. **You know, I thought we had something special going on! Obviously not because **James **is your favourite! You cut me deep Rosmerta!" Her bubbly laugh joined mine as Padfoot both fixed us with a half hearted glare, insisting that if James was her favourite then James could pay for the drinks.

"Where is your rascal of a brother then?" She asked me, handing us both a rag over and a couple of dirty glasses.

"At school, he's Head Boy now so we're making sure he toes the line." I grinned at her expression.

"Is Albus out of his mind?"

"It's debatable." Sirius lifted up a now pristine glass and admired his cleaning skills but mine still looked a little scummy. Suddenly Rosmerta's expression flicked to one of almost panic and she whispered.

"He's here! Quick!"

With speed I didn't know Sirius possessed, he pulled me back over the bar and pushed me into a crouch out of view just as the cheery voice of our Headmaster floated through the opening door. He greeted Rosmerta warmly then took a seat at the bar, requesting "the usual". I gave Sirius a worried glance and he shrugged there was no way we could get out of here without being seen or something else giving away our presence, we just had to hope Rosmerta didn't accidentally alert the Professor because a Halloween without booze? No. Just no.

Have you ever tried trying to breathe silently when you're crouching, all squished up on the floor? It's hard.

"So Rosmerta," Dumbledore began after a long conversation about business and Hogwarts and a load of other crap that I _really _couldn't give Snape's greasy arse about. I had begun to drift of almost, I was daydreaming certainly but something changed in the tone of Dumbledore's voice and my ears pricked up. Obviously I couldn't see Dumbledore's eyes but I bet they were twinkling! "I don't suppose you seen any students of mine around? I appear to have lost some and I know for a fact they've been skiving of lessons to plan their party tonight . . ." There was a long pause in which I mouthed a frantic, what the hell are we going to do?

"Unfortunately not Albus, and I'm not aware of anything being taken out of my stores today . . . you know they come and go and take whatever, they always pay though."

I stifled a gasp, she was giving a bit much away there? Did she want us to get a month's worth of detentions?

"Yes, you said . . . Although if there _was _anyone here then I would most definitely have to inflict the most vile and horrid punishment on them, maybe detentions up until Christmas time, or cleaning out Mrs Borris' cat litter tray – it's starting to smell something dreadful," I crinkled my nose, that would be a living nightmare. "Don't you think they would be suitable punishments Mr Black?"

My eyes widened in shock as Padfoot's squeezed shut in an 'oh crap' expression. He half winked at me before rising up and resting his head on the bar.

"What gave me away?" His incredulous tone made both Dumbledore and Rosmerta laugh and I saw the latter reaching out to stroke his hair – motherly my arse! She fancies him as much as he fancies her!

"You've been at my school for seven years now Mr Black, I know your antics quite well."

Sirius scowled. "But of course," Dumbledore continued, a hint of amusement in his voice, "A Marauder never operates alone, so who was down there with you?"

If only I had stuffed the cloak up my shirt and not Sirius!

"Tadaa." I mumbled as I stuck my head on the bar also, I thought it was all over at that point, our Halloween night was surely going to end with our hands in cat faeces.

"Miss Potter, what a pleasant surprise! I suspected your brother or Mr Lupin, charming fellow." Both Sirius and I laughed at this.

"Remus?" I asked.

"Charming?" Sirius echoed.

"Only when he wants some chocolate." We agreed. "We're making sure James is toeing the line," I explained, standing up properly because my back was starting to ache, "After all you made him Head Boy-"

"-For Merlin knows what reason!" Sirius mumbled, we all chose to ignore it.

"How very admirable of you both, yet still you choose to risk all those horrible punishments to come out here and wasn't it you that disabled my floo barriers Mr Black, a remarkable achievement I must admit . . ."

We both nodded, sharing a glance. I noticed Sirius turn a little pink "And such a shame too, on Halloween night . . ."

"But Professor!" I spoke up hopefully not in a whiny voice, I felt like whining, "It's our last year here and we just wanted tonight to be really fun, as soon as March kicks in it's going to be all NEWTS, NEWTS, NEWTS so we want to make good use of our time this side of Christmas!" Sirius nodded along with me, good I had support.

"And there's a strong likelihood that Gryffindor are going to be the ones that get into the Quidditch tournament, which although it's going to be an amazing event and an opportunity for all the players and people involved – by the way can you involve me? But a good job, not like, directing incontinent foreigners to the loos, that would be a waste of time – it's going to put even more of a strain on the Seventh Years, especially those on the Quidditch team. We just want to enjoy care-freedom while we can!"

Rosmerta blinked. Dumbledore blinked. I blinked. I guess that's how Sirius always gets what he wants, not just the words but the persuasive _tone_. I'm not surprised he always gets what he wants!

"You put forward a very strong argument Mr Black." Dumbledore stroked his beard. Just kidding, I wish he had but he definitely looked thoughtful. Sirius was trying not to look smug. "And as it is your last Halloween at Hogwarts, I am prepared to let you have your detentions on other nights," Grins split across our faces, "However! I do feel it is necessary to make the punishment more severe, don't you Rosmerta?"

"I think that sounds completely fair Albus." She chuckled warmly.

Soon after that Dumbledore told us to get back up to the castle before he was forced to give us a triply bad detention and after collecting the booze we came for and wishing Rosmerta many thanks we took back off up to the castle, not bothering to take any secret passage ways, after all no doubt Dumbledore had already informed the other staff members where he thought we were and so what if we were lugging two crates full of "drink"? The conversation on the way back up was one filled with renewed excitement, we had just been caught buying booze _illegally _by none other than the _Headmaster _and he'd pretty much let us off! Although, I am slightly worried about this punishment we've got coming our way . . .

**8:00pm**

Lily and I have just finished decorating the Common Room thinking we should make use of the time we had while everyone was at dinner. Remus and I had to cast some tricky glamours to cover the fact that all the furniture had disappeared and the walls and floor had been charmed to a midnight black. Nobody noticed, fortunately, and by the time they had worn off the last of the stragglers had gone off to dinner. Lily seemed very impressed with the pumpkins, laughing at Remus' when she saw it which was a relief when I think about it. We set up a table and Pete unpacked all the drinks while James and Lily hung fake cobwebs and bright orange banners and streamers. Sirius hung himself from a probably very unsafe ladder to create huge orbs of flashing lights that cast shadows and patterns across the floor like in one of the muggle night clubs Lily had told me about – they look amazing. I was ordered to get something to play music on and after a couple of minutes of searching around in the Boys' Dormitory I found the magically compacted sound system Padfoot had bagged for our Quidditch parties. Unfortunately, although it was reduced in size it still weighed the same as it would originally sized making it incredibly dense, and incredibly heavy. I must have looked a right plonker struggling down to the common room against the weight of something that fit in my palm!

It only took me five minutes to set the whole thing up, I was rather proud of myself. By that time the place was nearly ready, for lack of something useful to do I wandered over to Lily who was musing over the pumpkins a second time.

"Your owl," She grinned, a little glint in those green eyes of hers, "It looks very shady." I guess I am just resigned to having created a very shady owl. We fell into an easy conversation, discussing what we were to be wearing, what music I had set up and the like, a the normal stuff.

"WOOOOOOOOW!"

We were snapped out of our conversation by the huddle of students returning from dinner, first years judging by their height. Their little eyes were as wide as dinner plates as they took in their surroundings and of course all the alcohol lying about – hah! They can _dream on_. We got pretty much the same reaction from the rest of the students that came rushing back up to the Common Room, apparently Dumbledore had reminded the school that Hogsmede is indeed out of bounds during school time and doing so had hinted at our surprise. When pretty much everyone was back James stood up on the table and announced the plan.

"Happy Halloween folks! I hope you had a splendid feast and a lovely day's worth of lessons, because while you've been doing that we've been working our butt's off to get all this done for you all. As all of you that received a bat invitation will know the party kicks off at nine, that gives you about an hour and a half to get ready . . . if you need longer . . ." He cast Sirius a questioning look.

"Tough tits." The most eloquent of the Marauders (not) replied. A few people laughed, many people below fourth year looked quite frightened.

"Yes?" James continued, "Oh, one more thing, I've been told by Professor McGonagall to have everyone below fifth year in bed by midnight, sorry folks your time will come and if you think you're going to be drinking firewhiskey you've got another thing coming, Sirius and Remus have enabled the food and drink with a little something to give someone who is underage or uninvited a little . . . _surprise._" I honestly don't know what they've done and nor do I think I want to!

I guess it's time to get ready! Go Billie, go go go!

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A/N: please don't hurt me ;)

well, i hope you weren't too disappointed . . . i'm just adding more to the next chapter and once it's had the all clear from **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **then i'll get it straight to you all :)of course, **reviews **are always very motivational, especially if you're after more chapters that length . . .


	35. The Day After no3

A/N: Wooooooww.

so it seems after my a/n in the last chapter (which i hope you all enjoyed) people seem to definitely agree with the idea of keeping the plot the same and just splitting the story up which is fine, now i just have a LOT of writing to do!

i must thank all my reviewers/favouriters you guys are immense - **Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer, joanvindiesel **(who gave one of the most epic reviews ever)**, FezzesRCool125, CelticCrossings, MissCharlieWeasley, Lady Alba, Lost In The Rain **and the mysterious **anon **reviewers :) aaannnddd as always **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe**'s worked her magic on the chapter and made it actually readable (seriously, read one of the first chapters then read this, you'll laugh) so much love should be sent her way for being such an awesome beta :)

**warning:** this chapter does contain hints at a teeny tiny bit of slash, it's nothing to freak out about and it's not something that's going to progress in the story - what i'm trying to say is that, if you don't like it, just skip it but it's only mentioned in conversation (plus i wanted to put it in to really annoy **FezzesRCool125 **haha, love ya really heinz ;))

also, i'm aware that some people have been waiting for this chapter a long time . . . please don't be disappointed!

* * *

**1****st**** Nov**

**Day After no.3**

**4:30am**

Craaaaaap.

**7:30am**

To say I am tired would be an understatement. An extreme one. I can't actually remember much of the party last night and what I do remember is hazy - all I know is that I was rudely awoken at 4 o'clock in the morning and dragged off the Common Room couch and up into my "real bed". Damn Lily, she has her heart in the right place but she could have just let me sleep, right? Aside from that I can remember getting changed and ready for the party and the first few hours, after that . . . nothing.

I must say, all us Marauders (and Lily) looked damn good! James and I decided through notes during Arithmacy that we were going to go as a "grown up" tweedle dum and tweedle dee – James was dum, for obvious reasons. We found bright yellow, slightly baggy shirts and inked the words DUM and DEE on them in a bold black scribble. With them we wore a pair of tight bright red skinny jeans, a red cap and to top it all off an oversized blue bow tie. It was Lily's idea to draw freckles on our cheeks with an eye liner pencil, James objected at first but soon came round (because it was Lily) and we looked pretty cool, if I say so myself. Lily went as a sexy vampire, with huge fiery backcombed hair and bottles full of fake blood spread all over her body.

I was ready by the time she was halfway through doing her makeup so I offered to help her.

"No, no it's ok," She grinned revealing a sharp pair of fake fangs, "Too many cooks spoil the broth, I'd go down and check on your brother – I swear I heard inane amounts of laughter on my way up and I want to know what they're up to!" I laughed before racing down the stairway and into the Boys' Dorm.

"ARGH BILLIE!" A half naked Remus cried when I opened the door.

"Sorry!" I hovered outside for a few minutes before knocking and asking if everyone was decent. When the general mumbles of consent were heard I slipped in through the door, identical grins spreading across mine and James' faces as we clocked the other. "Looking good Jamesie!" I told him, ruffling his hair up and flopping onto his bed. Muffled from behind the thick curtains that were drawn around Remus' bed we heard:

"Are you ready to see it . . .?" The curtains flew open and something blue and Remus-shaped dived out, a heroic red cape flapping behind.

"Hahaha!" Came my brother's reaction, "Moony, that's excellent!"

Remus had somehow managed to be persuaded into donning a rather tight lycra superhero suit, a large silver letter M had been stitched onto the front and he had a red eye mask tied around his head in a ninja-turtle-like way.

"I'm SUPPERRR MOOONNNYY – at your service!" He bowed, the back of his cape flicking up and over his head. I laughed as he righted himself.

"So, who persuaded you into it?" I asked, laughing once more at all the odd angles his body made in the costume. Super Moony grinned,

"Your brother. You both look great by the way – where are Wormtail and Padfoot?"

"Padfoot's hogging the bathroom and Wormy's sulking because of the dare." James and Remus shared a knowing grin.

"What dare?" I asked. Flicking my eyes between the two boys until one of them gave something away. There was a sharp swish as Pete threw open his curtains murderously, revealing himself and _his costume_. My first reaction was shock, then confusion, and then, when the penny finally dropped I burst out laughing.

"They've dared me to go as a CHUFFING STUFFED OLIVE!" Wormy mustered up a dark look and threw it at Remus and James, his face even redder as he flushed under the orange face paint that had carelessly been dabbed on. "And they said that if I don't they'll stop me from copying their homework!" I laughed even more.

"That's _cruel _guys!"

"What's going on?" Padfoot's echoing voice was heard from the bathroom, he laughed manically when James explained that Pete was doing the dare. Now that I had seen how all the other boy's looked I was dying to see what Padfoot was doing to himself in the bathroom. I knocked on the door. "Yeah?"

"Are you decent?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you're decent?"

"Yes!"

Knowing full well that he'd tell me to come in even if he was butt naked I pushed the bathroom door open and shut it behind me. Luckily the only item of clothing he seemed to be missing was his top. Sirius turned and looked me over, winking and telling me that I looked good. Vaguely, I wondered if he'd say the same thing to James.

"What are you- HOLY MERLIN!" I cried out, running over to inspect the bleeding hole in the side of Sirius' head, which was round, dark and ghastly. Little flecks of blood were splattered across the side of his face. I reached out to touch it but Padfoot moved out of my way.

"Whoa! Don't touch, you'll ruin it, took me hours to work out the spell too!" He gestured to the huge pile of books on the floor which somehow I hadn't noticed – how?

"Won't it get ruined when you put your top on?" I couldn't take my eyes off that glamour, it just looked so real, but at least it stopped me from staring at his chest. Sirius barked a laugh.

"Probably, but I like looking at my chest so much . . . Maybe I should just not put a top on." He stood up to admire his muscles in the mirror and I laughed at his vanity.

"You should definitely wear a top."

He smirked.

"Worried you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself?" A deliberate step was taken towards me, his eyebrows raised challengingly.

"Actually, I'm worried you won't be able to keep your hands _away _from yourself."

He burst out laughing and wrapped me in a strong hug before I could worm my way out of it.

After I forced him to put a shirt on and he donned his black leather jacket he looked pretty damn good – obviously not as good as me though . . . After a quick flick through the books I transfigured a spare sock into a cowboy hat for him, that way he could lift it up and freak people out with his head wound the way he had me-

"Billie, if you want some breakfast you'd better get moving now!" The warm voice of Alice just leaving the dorm, I suppose she's right. But I think I should down some sobriety potion first . . . my head hurts.

**11:00am**

I NEED HEADACHE POTION. NOW!

. . . Ok, we're good.

Wow, I have had one eventful morning!

After the sobriety potion kicked in, Lily had brewed me some – what a lifesaver – I was able to get myself down to breakfast pretty quickly and I spotted the familiar messy head of my brother as soon as I walked through the door. I grinned at Peter and his fourth year mates as I moved along the table, noticing that everybody seemed too distracted by things at their own table to notice me which I have to admit, I was grateful for. Suddenly though, I was stopped in my tracks by a rather angry looking Amos Diggory. His eyes were dark and livid, if looks could kill I think I'd have been murdered, and I noticed a purpling bruise growing around his left eye.

"Where's Lily?" He demanded not bothering to keep his voice down. Well, I wasn't scared one bit, let's be real here, we were stood in the middle of Great Hall with all eyes on us what could he do?

"How did you get your black eye?" I asked innocently, pointing at it just in case he didn't know it was there. A ripple of nervous laughter came from the Gryffindor table and a few of the braver Ravenclaws. Diggory looked fuming.

"Don't try and play games with me where is she?" The laughter grew and I chose to ignore him again, I didn't know what people were laughing at but now I see the irony in my choice of words.

"Seriously, how?"

"OH, you're funny, yeah very funny – where's Lily?" He took an angry step towards me and I heard an intake of breath from everyone watching. His fists were clenched and his face was turning an unpleasant shade of maroon, clashing horribly with that mysterious shiner.

"OI! Diggory!" Sirius called out. Really, I was surprised that none of the teachers had told us to shut up and sit down yet but a glance up to the Staff Table told me quite the opposite, they all looked quite amused. "She obviously doesn't know where Evans is so why don't you leave her alone now?" He didn't speak menacingly, more like he was talking to a young child. Still, I saw something apprehensive flicker in Diggory's eyes. "Because, you know, if you like the purple so much I know quite a few people who'd be happy to oblige to do the other eye . . . ?" Padfoot had a pathetic 'glare' shot his way and his deep bark-laugh reached my ears. Diggory stormed out of the Great Hall to the sound of various jeers – then we were told to settle down.

"Care to explain?" I asked the smirking boys as I sat down. Sirius and James frowned,

"What, you can't remember?" My brother asked, concerned. I shook my head. "What? Not ANY of it?" I shook my head again, mouth full of toast. "Merlin! How much did you drink?"

"A lot." Remus answered for me from behind the Daily Prophet, Sirius laughed again.

"Oh, that's rich coming from Captain Spandex over there! But seriously Billie, you've missed loads!" Remus flushed as Sirius elbowed him and I decided I didn't really want to know.

"Fill me in then?" I suggested, taking a swig of pumpkin juice. Wormtail sighed. "What's up Wormy?" I asked, feeling a little guilty at the incredulous expression he was wearing because someone was actually asking where he was.

"Do we really have to re-live last night?" He looked so downtrodden I couldn't help but laugh. Of course, he had done that stupid dare hadn't he?

"Yes! I want to know what happened! Did the dare not work out for you?" Various snickers broke out from my brother, Padfoot and Moony.

"No. Hey shut up guys! At least I did my dare!" He gave Padfoot a very pointed look to which he turned a little red. James and Remus laughed harder. "People kept tripping me up because my suit was so round that when I was on the floor I couldn't get back up . . ." Peter told me in explanation, I did feel a little sorry for him.

"Guys! That's well harsh, you shouldn't laugh at him it's cruel!" My bubble of righteousness was soon popped when James told me between laughs:

"Billie . . . You, you were the one . . . You were the one doing the tripping!" The three boys burst into fresh peels of laughter and I blushed.

"Sorry Wormtail." But he was laughing too so it looks like I've been forgiven. "So what was the deal with Diggory?"

"Padfoot socked him-"

"-He deserved it-"

"-Because he tried to crash our party-"

"-And take Lily-"

"-I asked him nicely to leave-"

"-As nicely as a drunken Padfoot can-"

"-But he wouldn't listen and Lily didn't want to go so I punched him . . ."

I took a deep breath to try and find the words I wanted, my eyes sore after flicking between Remus, James and Sirius' faces.

"He also has a new nickname!" James told me before I could say anything. I sighed and gestured for them to share it. "Amost Dickory!" I received four wary looks from the boys, who were all waiting for my reaction. There was a long, tense pause before I burst out laughing.

"Who came up with that?" I questioned and Padfoot raised a hand, grinning.

"I _was_ drunk!"

A content silence fell upon the group as we all set about finishing our breakfasts. Remus once again took an interest in the newspaper, occasionally tutting at something he read and then swatting Sirius away who tried to read it over his shoulder. I scanned the Gryffindor table for anything unusual that might have been a result from last night's party. Alice and Frank were sat at the top of the table, there seemed to be nothing wrong up there, further down I saw Peter Goldsburg and his friends but they were all underage so surely the party couldn't have been that exciting for them, then there was Martin and Emmeline the latter of which was telling Martin a story and (as usual) was getting quite excited about it all.

"Merlin's balls!" I thought aloud as my eyes fell on something that was definitely, definitely different. Sirius' eyes found mine, confusion evident in them. "When did **that **happen?" I gestured up the table and a grin spread across Padfoot's face.

"Last night, we played spin the bottle and Lily dared them to kiss – well, they go out now . . ."

"I can see that!"

I dared myself to look back up the table, thankful to see that Sammie had released Stony from her lustful death grip and they were now just sharing little heated looks. It was strange, I'd known them both so long and known that somehow they would always end up together but now it's happened and it'll probably mean a big change. I just hope that nothing changes Quidditch-wise . . .

Apparently, apart from that, there was nothing much else to report – I'm sure there actually was loads more things but they just didn't matter as much to the boys as they would to me . . . I need to talk to Lily but I haven't properly seen her all morning, only once when she came over and gave me a morning hug, but she was with Dickory so I didn't really have time to talk to her then. Why can't she just break up with him?

**1:00pm**

Dumbledore completely crashed our Care of Magical Creatures lesson to tell Sirius and I that our particularly nasty detention is on Monday night. I'm nervous, I really am. He says it's with Hagrid and that we need to dress warm and wear sensible footwear. Well, we all know that that means only one thing – that we're going in the forbidden forest. And that's why I'm nervous, I don't like the forest as it is, Sirius is fine, he's not scared of much but it'll be dark, wet and cold and there's so many _things _in there! Is it even safe for us to go in there? Well, if I die, I'm sure Pads will sue.

Professor Jubential was a bit off with us today. Probably because we skived two hours of him yesterday to prepare for a party that I can't even remember. He nearly gave Sirius a detention when he asked whether Sir was just in a bad mood because he wasn't invited. I tell you, Padfoot and Sir are too alike: they both get a right mood on for no apparent reason and then take it out on everyone else! Seriously! He couldn't even managed a smile when he was telling me that my vampire essay got an O. They should start a grumpy old men club. Even worse, he's refusing to even tell us what the lessons were about that we missed, something like:

"If you can't be bothered to turn up to lesson then why should I be bothered to waste my time teaching you? If you didn't want to learn yesterday then what's changed today?"

The he started on James and Remus, Merlin I'm glad I'm not a prefect. I don't know what was up with him today. Fortunately, he hasn't forbidden anyone else from telling us what they learnt – he loves us too much to leave us completely in the dark. He does love us, really.

My head hurts again.

**8:00pm**

Lily's mad at Sirius. Not scary mad, just mad because at dinner the idiot decided to stand on his bench and insult all the Slytherins.

"Excuse me!" He called out and because it was him talking the whole school stopped their conversations to listen, "As you're all aware it was Halloween yesterday, thanks to all those that came to our party it was a good night, yes? I would just like to clear something up that, members of the Slytherin house, it is ok to take your masks off now – the first years have been frightened quite enough." At that point the Hall burst into appreciative laughter that one of us had insulted the Slytherins because after all, it has been a while since anything interesting has happened between us. Slughorn looked furious and Sirius got a MNDL but miraculously no detention. Remus pulled him back down into his seat before announcing just loudly enough for the Gryffindor table to hear that:

"Maybe you should put your mask back on Sirius, like you said the first years have been scared quite enough."

On our table people started laughing again, a few people clapped and a few people (or it could have just been Emmeline) called out "Go Remus!"

Lily said nothing during all of this, just glaring at Sirius – she'll probably have a big rant about his immaturity and arrogant behaviour to me later, I'll look forward to it.

**10:00pm**

I love the Common Room at this time of night. All the younger students have usually carried themselves off to bed bar the few rebels that hide in the shadows hoping Lily won't notice they're still up when she gets back off patrol. James, Remus and Lily are all on patrol leaving all their lesson notes behind for me to copy . . . I did not just admit to that. When I'm lucky, like tonight, Sirius and Peter will bugger off somewhere – I don't know where, I dare not ask – and that means I can just chill out and do whatever I like and talk to the people I want to. Speaking of which-

- You know when you find out a little bit too much information?

Sammie and John have just come storming in, a laughing Martin following them. They all took a seat around the table I was writing at, Martin wiping away tears of mirth and Sammie and John both looking very pink.

"Alright lovebirds?" I asked as innocently as I could manage. Sammie grinned and John shuffled a little, Martin was still laughing.

"You heard? People have been saying you couldn't remember a thing from last night so we presumed you didn't . . ." Stony asked me, elbowing Martin to get him to shut up.

"Saw actually, that was a lovely display at breakfast – put me right off my toast."

"Hey, Billie, if you thought that was bad," Martin ignored the others' hisses of protest and began to laugh again, "You should have seen what me and your bro saw a couple of minutes ago! Let's just say the nickname 'Stony'-"

"NO!" I cried out covering my ears, "Too much information!" Sammie blushed and giggled a little and even John managed to smirk.

"So you don't remember anything of last night?" Sammie asked, half reading my Potions essay. I shook my head.

"Blimey Billie, how much did you drink?" Martin asked astonished.

"Not that much!" All three of them gave me disbelieving looks, "Well I don't know I can't remember!"

"You missed a lot." John was talking to me but looking at Sammie, he was going to have to stop doing that.

"Thanks for reminding me." I half glared in his direction then shared a shrug with Martin when I saw he was no longer paying anyone but Sammie attention. Martin kicked him and told me loudly and cheerfully,

"Don't worry Billie, we'll fill you in!" He sighed loudly, "Won't. We. Guys?" Even word was followed by a kick to John's leg. Still, there was no response. "He's deliberately ignoring me," A smile touched John's lips, "I'll tell you what happened by myself shall I?"

"That'd be lovely." I grinned.

"Well, the start of the party was pretty dull as always. Loved your pumpkin by the way but really, how do you get an owl to look that shady? Then McGonagall came and sent all the underage students back to their dorms, seriously there were hundreds and hundreds of them!" Martin stopped as the portrait hole swung open and Sammie and I gasped as we saw what came through.

"Sweet Merlin!" Sammie cursed aloud therefore receiving a dirty look from Professor McGonagall who had her hands on the shoulders of a small first year and was guiding him up to his dorm.

"Have you not seen them all yet?" John asked Sammie and I, smirking and sharing a look with Martin. We both shook our heads and continued to watch the poor, many legged boy attempt the staircase.

"What happened?" I asked, unable to stop but feeling rather sick as I saw him slip back down to the bottom of the stairs, his eight legs waving about pathetically.

"There's loads of 'em," Martin explained, "But I suppose they'll have been in the hospital wing all day – they're first and second years that tried to drink the firewhiskey last night."

"James said that Remus had created consequences for them if they tried to drink." John told me emotionlessly.

"I was trying for ages to get Peter to drink some after I saw what happened . . ." Martin grinned to himself.

Now I know why Sirius and Remus have been walking down the corridors humming the Spiderman theme tune as loudly as possible whenever first years were around. Now I know why the muggleborns and half-bloods looked so scared.

After Sammie and I had admonished Martin for being so mean to his incredible little brother he continued telling me about the party.

"Yeah, after all the little kids went it got much better. Diggory tried to crash the party just before we were about to play spin the bottle, oh my days it was an EPIC game!"

"Tell me about Diggory first!"

"Well, the Fat Lady wouldn't let him in, due to strict orders from James – plus he wasn't invited, so he just stood outside screaming and yelling a load of crap about us all so James went to see him off but we all kind of followed because we wanted to see what was happening. Diggory was pretty drunk - he and the other Hufflepuff rejects must have snaffled some contraband too – and he was snarling and yelling at everyone so James told him he wasn't invited and to shove off. Then he saw Lily, Merlin he was bawling at her and James and Sirius were having none of that! No siree! James tried to be amicable but Diggory wasn't having any of it so Sirius sloughed him. Maaaan, he should be a beater!"

I took a moment to process all this.

"So what was I doing?"

The other three shared a thoughtful and confused look.

"Actually, I think that was the only time during the entire night that you were quiet . . ." Sammie told me, having read my potions essay and moving on to my Transfiguration one I was halfway through. A wave of relief washed through me. "Why does Lily even go out with him? She's supposed to be a role model!" I shrugged and we all shared a collective sigh.

"What happened when Diggory cleared off then?" I asked, immediately all their faces lit up.

"We went back to our game of spin the bottle!" John grinned properly for the first time. He's not so bad when he smiles.

"What like, truth or dare?"

"Nooo," Martin jumped back in to the conversation, "Like proper spin the bottle, kissing." I think that was the point when my heart sunk down somewhere near my bladder – I may have peed out my heart.

"Crap." I admitted, they all laughed at me. "Who was unlucky enough to kiss me?" Deep down I knew it couldn't have been Pads because he'd have been talking about it all day . . . But that didn't stop me from praying it wasn't him. Martin coughed.

"Me, actually."

I let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew, did I enjoy it?" I know it was a potentially very awkward question, but it's Martin, he loves smashing down awkwardness.

"Of course you did, I'm an amazing kisser!" We all burst out laughing, which was how Lily and the rest of the Marauders found us a few seconds later.

"How did you do with these?" Lily asked, half pushing me of my seat as she sat down and beginning to look through my essays. She knows her job does that girl.

"Pretty good." I choked out, beginning to laugh at Martin again as he winked at me. "You guys had a good patrol?"

"Well once we kicked all the rabble out of the broom cupboards," James playfully flicked Stony on the head, "And erased all the mental images it was ok . . ." There came plenty of throat clearing from Padfoot.

"What?" I asked him bluntly. He grinned and sat down on the other side of the chair that really-wasn't-made-for-two-people-so-definitely-shouldn't-have-three-people-sat-on-it.

"Aren't you going to ask how my night was?"

"No, but I do want to know . . . who did you kiss last night?" Nervous laughter broke out from James, Lily and Martin so I gave then each a questioning look. Moony started whistling. "Remus? What?"

"He doesn't want to admit it," Remus explained a slight pink tinge to his cheeks and a mischievous glint in his eyes, "But I rocked his world."

Now I know why Sirius and Remus have been walking down the corridors humming the Spiderman theme tune as loudly as possible with _linked arms._ Now I know why **everyone **looked so scared.

**11:30pm**

I'm tired.

I need some more headache potion.

The sound of my quill against the paper is deafening me.

I think . . .

I think I should really drink a lot less at the next party.

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A/N: See, that wasn't so bad was it? . . . was it? You know how to let me know :)

dare i set myself an update deadline? no. haha, i'll update whenever i can (when i've finished the chapter after the next chapter - it's all so unnecessarily confusing!) but you know, reviews? . . . they're good for the soul.


	36. One More Firework

A/N: hello! hello! hello!

it's feels like ages since i've updated and i'm very sorry for that but i do have a good excuse:

my laptop charger just decided to go *poof* on me when i was halfway through my spanish homework (writing a letter to a columbian guy, aren't i cool?) and because my laptop is a dell laptop and they've kindly decided to make their chargers completely different to every other charger that exists, it didn't work with any others in the house. however, thanks to the amazing-ity of the local computer shop they managed to supply us a copy for half the price that dell would so my writing withdrawal symptoms have been cured! (seriously, i'e been typing on tables and driving everyone insane! :L)

it's awful because i've lost about two chapters worth of writing time over the many, many random days off we've had in england and now i have nothing in my unpublished folder. nothing.

HOWEVER! it is thanks to the following people that i am still happy and eager to write: **the mysterious anon reviewer **(whoever you are, you have style :L), **Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer, inktongue, Pyscho17, joanvindiesel **(you know i didn't think it could get any better than the chapter 34 review but then BAM! it did :)), **IzzyBel, THE JUDSTER, loisje, Lady Alba, SMUSH04, siriusblack4evaxX, klutz5637, garia, Dreamer of Narnia, FezzesRCool125 **aaannnnddd the wonderful, amazing, fabulous, amazing, running out of adjectives, it's too late for such an enthuasiastic update (!) **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **and seeing as she's been such an ace beta, and i've been a rubbish one recently, you should go read her stories.

i must say (i forgot in the last chapter) that the A Most Dickory idea . . . not mine unfortunately! it's the idea of **MoonWafflesOfDOOM**'s so yeah there's a late disclaimer!

anyways, before i fall asleep (or get told off for breaking the internet curfew :L) enjoy the chapter!

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**5****th**** Nov**

**If I Hear One More Firework I'm Going to Throttle Someone**

**10:00am**

It was the allocated note-sending time in Arithmacy when the thought hit me.

Hey! Padfoot! – B

_What? – S_

You know Lily – B

_No – S_

Don't be awkward, you know she doesn't like blood? – B

_No – S_

Sirius! – B

_Fine, yes! What of it? – S_

Well, I was thinking, at Halloween – she proper doused herself in fake blood – B

_Right? – S _

Don't you think it's strange? – B

_A little – S_

You're no fun to talk to today – B

_Whatever – S_

_Oi! Evans – S_

**Leave me alone Black – L**

Ginger? – B

**Billie, I'm trying to take notes! – L**

For us both? – B

**No – L**

Thank you! – B

**. . . – L **

I guess I'll never know.

**11:45pm**

Sirius and I are not talking.

What's the point?

Dumbledore really came up trumps with his detention. Not only was it one of the most foul experiences of my life, one in which I nearly got attacked by a savage creature, it's bloody bonfire night. Yes, while everyone else has been eating toffee apples and warming themselves up beside bonfires whilst enjoying a firework display, Sirius and I have been trawling about knee deep in threstral turd whilst lugging around a great hunk of meat for them to eat. I CAN'T EVEN SEE THE THRESTRALS!

We left the rest of the Marauders at about 7 o'clock. James and Remus had got a fire going and it was almost unbearable to leave. Sirius seemed in a good mood though, I was optimistic. I shouldn't have been. Hagrid greeted us joyously when we knocked on his cabin door, I always feel sorry for him, he doesn't get many visitors and he's such a nice guy. Sirius was thrown to the floor of his hut as Woolly, Hagrid's young boarhound, dived on him.

"'Lright Billie?" He asked me, leading us all out of the warmth. I nodded, eyeing the forest warily, I had a right to be nervous in the end but nobody listens to me do they? "Saw yer int' last Quidditch game, yer 'mazing on a broom. You and yer brother . . ." I blushed a little and he smiled a wide smile.

"What are we up to tonight Hagrid?" Sirius asked, peering into the tub of animal remains Hagrid had led us to. He looked so disgusted when Hagrid dropped a colossal, raw cow bone in his unintentionally outstretched hands.

"Threstrals, need feeding an' Dumbledore off'rd your 'elp 'cos of yer detention. Feel sorry for ya both to have it tonight . . . It being Bonfire Night 'nall." I huffed as a hunk of meat was tossed into my hands. Off we go then!"

Hagrid ushered us into the black mouth of the forest opening and I grew steadily more nervous. The forest is forbidden for a reason right? It's ok for Hagrid, he's like what? Seven - seven and a half foot? And Padfoot roams around the forest like it's his home away from home every full moon.

"You ok Bills?" The aforementioned Padfoot grinned at me. Personally, I didn't find anything about the situation remotely amusing. "Feeling a little . . . nervous?" Hagrid had strode on ahead, mumbling to himself about threstrals and other no doubt interesting things and in a failed attempt at flirting Sirius had sidled up next to me and forgetting he had a huge cow leg in his hand, he managed to wipe it in my face.

"Merlin! Thanks for that Sirius!" I spat out some cow flesh and tried my best to wipe the juice of my face. Fortunately for Sirius he didn't laugh at me although he didn't exactly apologise either.

"Lighten up Billie! It was an accident!" He retorted angrily, stepping away.

"You've just wiped cow blood in my face and we're in the middle of the Godric-forsaken Forbbiden Forest – YOU lighten up Sirius." Hagrid was still oblivious to our argument that was starting.

"That doesn't even make sense!" I was told loudly. I was ready to tell him _exactly _why and how it made sense when Hagrid told us to be quiet.

"If you wanna lay yer meat down there, I think I can 'ear 'em." We stood in silence, listening. Neither Sirius nor I made any indication of moving. "In fac', I think they're off tha' way . . . you two walk of tha' way and see if they come. 'll wait 'ere."

"But we won't actually be able to _see _them." Sirius pointed out and Hagrid chuckled.

"Listen, they're noisy buggers. Go on!"

Sirius sighed and turned on his heel and after casting Hagrid a well deserved distrustful look, I followed. We walked in silence for a while, trying not to think about the vile smell coming from the meat in our arms. Fireworks kept exploding high above the canopy.

"How the hell are we supposed to listen for threstrals if they keep going off?" I asked angrily, obviously to myself.

"It has to be better than mucking out Mrs Borris' turd Billie." Sirius said quietly as if he thought I'd forgotten he was there. I shot him a dirty look.

"If that was our punishment we'd have done by now and we wouldn't be alone and getting steadily more lost in the middle of the forest."

"We're not lost! I know the way back." Sirius looked around quickly but even through the dark I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. A sudden snap of twigs made us both jump, eyes darting around to find the cause of the sound – there weren't just threstrals out tonight, neither of us were naïve enough to think that. Another sharp snap indicated that whatever it was, was coming closer. Thinking at top speed, I threw my chunk of meat onto the floor as far away from me as possible at least then whatever it was might prefer that to my bodily meat. Sirius did the same shortly after. Then, right before our very eyes the meat was torn from the bone, disappearing into thin air. I swore softly. "Threstrals?" Sirius asked me. It was a perfectly justified question but I was angry at him so, yeah, I snapped.

"No. They're chuffing pixies."

"Holy Merlin what is wrong with you tonight?" Sirius' voice was a low whisper but the anger was evident. Another firework blasted in the sky and made me jump, stupid James and his stupid fun.

"What's wrong with me?" I whispered back just as heatedly, "I'm in a bad mood, you know like the ones you're in every other bloody day?" Sirius visibly bristled. "What's with those, huh? You seem to tell James everything but when the rest of us ask it's just: Oh, Padfoot's in a bad mood. You're worse than bloody Lily during her time of the month!" A stab of anger plunged my side when I thought of Lily, no doubt she'd be having more fun than me and she was with Diggory for Godric's sake!

"Shut up Billie." I hissed as loudly as he dare. The meat was still being ripped away and the faint sound of chomping teeth could be heard underneath the stupid fireworks.

"No really, you can't stand it when everyone else is in a bad mood yet you expect everyone just to be fine with the fact that you're always in one!"

"I said shut up Billie!"

For the first time that night I was properly glared at. A full-frontal Sirius Black Glare which is usually only used on Slytherins and people he was really angry at. When used on other people it usually invokes fear and the desire to flee his company or give him his way. Not me though.

"Ok, I will shut up; I'll shut up all the way back to my pigging dorm." And without waiting for a reply I turned on my heel and marched off.

In hindsight that probably wasn't the best thing I could have done. Within a few minutes I was very lost and somehow I had managed to stumble into a darker part of the forest, a darker, wetter and colder part of the forest. Those **stupid **fireworks were still being blasted above my head as I fumbled with my robes and drew my wand, non-verbally lighting the tip of it. I kept walking, quite possibly round in circles, jumping at every snapped twig and cursing every time another firework went off. Then I heard it.

A long deep growl had disturbed the infrequent silence of the clearing I was fumbling through and I cannot even begin to describe how scared I was right then, I'm still shaking now. I spun round, waving my lighted wand about hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever had growled at me. The low, rumbling sound grew louder as it came closer and I figured out that whatever it was must be smack bang in front of me.

"STUPEFY!" I cried out, the clearing flashing red and then dropping pitch black as the only light from my wand tip was extinguished. Then, in true Gryffindor spirit, I sprinted the hell out of there. I could no longer see where I was going and I tripped over several tree roots and managed to scratch a big gash into my face by running past a thorny branch. I couldn't hear whether the creature was behind me or not because of, you guessed it, the _**stupid **_fireworks but finally the dim light from Hagrid's trusty lamp could be seen in the distance. Before I'd gotten anywhere near Hagrid and Sirius, Woolly bounded over, barking and carrying on.

"Billie!" Sirius came jogging over, Hagrid striding close behind, "Your cheek, what happened?" He reached out to inspect the cut but I dodged him and went over to Hagrid.

"Have the threstrals been fed?" I asked.

"Billie?" Taking that as an affirmative I began to stride towards the visible forest edge.

"Good, then let's get the hell out of here."

I'm just so . . . Damn! I don't even know how I feel! I'm angry, at Sirius and Hagrid and – and those goddamn fireworks! I don't even know what's wrong with me, I just want to be let alone and of course Sirius wouldn't do that would he? I've tried cleaning up that cut on my face but the spell I used has made it sting like hell and start to bleed again, all over my Weird Sisters pyjama top. I need Lily but she'll either be patrolling or still out having fun with all the other bonfire-goers. Hey maybe, she'll have ditched Diggory and will have spent the night with James and Remus . . . Maybe she'll have dumped him again! I swear he wasn't this much of a unicorn turd the last time they went out. Whatever, the chances of that happening are slim and it's just another reason for me to be angry tonight, which is probably why I shouldn't think about it too much. I'm tired but I probably won't be able to sleep – that's my pessimist's view anyway.

**1:00am**

I was still awake when Lily snuck back into the dorm, a hell of a lot later than she usually would. I listened to her crash about the dorm trying to find her pyjamas, then I heard the sound of the bathroom door shutting, and after the taps had been shut off I could hear the hollow sound of her brushing her teeth.

"Billie?" She called out quietly once she'd done in the bathroom and I could hear her bare feet padding over to my bed. Vaguely I wondered whether she'd open my curtains and try to talk to me and deciding I wasn't in the mood, I rolled over so I could pretend I was trying to sleep. Apparently, she was in the mood to talk. My curtains were pulled open slowly, almost cautiously. "I know you're not asleep." Lily sounded like she was grinning and I almost growled.

"No, but I'm trying to." I felt my quilt cover being pulled back and Lily climbing in, shutting the curtains behind her.

"I have good news." She told me after a minute or so of silence. I rolled over to face her, hoping that she was going to tell me about her and Diggory's break up but her green eyes widened in shock as she saw my cut. "Merlin Billie! What happened?" She sat up and reached out to touch the gash. Unlike with Sirius, I didn't flinch away, after all, Lily hadn't done anything wrong really. I sat up too, wincing as her finger ran over the sorest bit.

"I got lost in the forest and something came after me," I explained tiredly, "I stunned it and then ran but my face got scratched." Lily frowned.

"Did you try to heal it yourself?" I almost laughed at the way she overlooked the fact I was nearly eaten and instead was about to scold me for my awful healing attempt. I nodded, turning slightly pink. "Billie! What have I told you about trying to heal yourself?"

". . . Not to?"

"Yes! Not to! All your face is bruised now and it could have been a lot worse, you know how bad you are at healing spells so you shouldn't attempt them and they drain away a lot from the caster and judging by your story it sounds like you've been through a lot tonight." She slid back out of my bed and fetched a thick, old book from under hers.

"Whoa! Don't bring that thing in my bed! This is a book free zone!" She snorted and ignored me. "Nerd!" I tried to wind her up, "Geek! . . . Geekswotnerd!"

"You know, you sound more like Sirius Black every day?"

"Ugh, don't even talk to me about him." I warned her, frowning as she sighed.

"Please don't tell me you've fallen out again." My angry outburst was cut off as she grabbed my face and began to reel of a list of spells to mend it, despite all the things I wanted to say I knew not to disrupt her concentration. Lily's good but she could still leave scars.

"Yes we have fallen out." I informed her, "He's a dickhead and I don't like him."

"Of course," She agreed but didn't agree at all, "You're both so childish, don't worry, you'll be back friends in the morning just like every other time." I gasped in mock horror, my anger slowly beginning to ebb away.

"I am deeply offended, I think we're never ever going to be friends ever again and you'll have to break up with Dickory because I'll only have you to hang around with and not the Marauders and you like me more than him." Lily laughed a little at my gabbled scenario. "I'm being serious!"

"You and _Sirius _are too alike," I groaned loudly at the pun, "You just don't have any other way to . . . had release the tension between you both other than screaming at each other at the moment."

"At the moment? Wait! Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"I'm not suggesting anything I'm just saying that you're similar!"

"Actually, I think you're suggesting that Sirius and I – ugh, I don't even want to think about it!"

Lily took one look at my (now healed) face and laughed out loud. "Anyway, enough suggesting, you said you good news?"

"Oh yeah!"

". . ."

"Professor Jubential's in a much better mood and he says he'll teach you guys what you missed." While this was good news, it wasn't exactly as thrilling as I had hoped. Still, Lily seemed happy about it so I played along.

"Cool, when did you find this out?"

"He came out to the Gryffindor bonfire to watch the fireworks," I nearly cried at the mention of those _**stupid **_things, "And he started talking to me because James was letting the fireworks off, Remus was standing guard with an aguamenti ready for when he set himself of fire and the rest of the Gryffindors didn't even really notice he was there." She inhaled happily, "You should have seen the fireworks Bils, they were fantastic!"

"No!" I cut her off, "No, they really, really weren't! In fact, I hated them so much that if I ever have to see or hear another firework ever again I am going to throttle someone. Preferably Sirius."

"Whoa, ok. Exaggeration maybe?" I promise I won't mention them?" She asked and I nodded. "Sir was talking about you, you and Sirius actually."

"Oh really?" I asked, suddenly feeling quite intrigued. "Should he really be doing that?"

"That's what I thought! Probably not but since when has that stopped him?" We laughed, Sir should have really been fired by now. "He worries about you . . ." Lily gave me a careful look but I gestured for her to continue. "Well, not really worries but – it's obvious he cares about you and he wants the best for you. He was telling me how he was surprised that you and James were as close as you are, especially with all the crap you get off your parents." I laughed quietly and she frowned, "Well, it is crap, and you definitely don't deserve it!"

"Lily, it's fine-"

"-No! It's not fine! Ugh, it gets me angry every time I think about it!" She wasn't lying, it suddenly it was like someone had lit a fire in her eyes, kind of like the way she always looks at James when she's mad at him.

"What else did Jubes say?" I changed the subject subtly.

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Ok, well maybe not that subtly. "But he was explaining to me why you and Sirius are such good friends." I growled. Yes, I actually growled.

"Oh really?"

Lily began to explain to me exactly why _darling _Sirius and I were friends, something along the lines of because we compliment each other's personalities so well and because we're the only other people who don't take the rubbish of the other person. I suppose there was a little truth in what she was saying but it doesn't make me like him. Not tonight anyway. I wanted to ask her about Diggory but I daren't, the subject has become a kind of taboo, we just haven't talked about it yet but I'm sick of not being able to see her whenever like I used to because of her stupid boyfriend! We all hate him!

My favourite ginger found her way back into her own bed about half an hour ago with the parting words.

"I'm tired, have fun writing about how much you hate Sirius in your diary – which is a book! – I'll see you in the morning." And with a cheeky grin she hopped through my curtains and drew her own. I didn't even get chance to explain to her how my diary is NOT a book, it's a _diary _and besides, I write this "book" so that makes it ok – I mean who wouldn't want to read my diary? Actually, I'd rather not know.

Well, good night! Good morning?

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A/N: reviews always lead to quicker updates, just saying you know . . .


	37. Me? Really?

A/N: evening/whatever,

thanks for the feedback on the last chapter guys, **the anon reviewer-with styleX, Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer, joanvindiesel, TheScarletSerpent, SMUSH04, klutz5637, siriusblack4evaxX, FezzesRCool125, TayylorDuhh, MissCharlieWeasley, mcgonagiggles, Robeeny** and** emloha :)**

and also many thanks to my amazing beta: **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **you owe the accuracy of the chapter to her (that being said, all typos and stuff are mine, she just stops it being one long sentence ;))

i'm tired and i have a spanish exam to revise for - hopefully my pain won't stop you from enjoying the chapter. (lucky people-.-)

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**9****th**** Nov**

**McGonagall, Me? Really?**

**6****:00pm**

McGonagall must be having a laugh! I think all those years of doing nothing but marking essays and playing with toy mice has finally caught up with her. You see, dear diary, she actually wants me to take over someone's prefect duties for the night! Told you she's gone crazy.

She strode briskly over during dinner to where the boys and I were sat and informed Remus that his patrolling partner wasn't feeling too well so he would have to patrol with someone else tonight. He did look rather disappointed that this girl . . . Emily (I think she's called Emily?) wasn't going to be there. Whoever this Emily is I don't think I'll be able to fill her boots. I mean, I'm not even a prefect! I know it's only for one night and that I'm going to be with Remus but really, even Sirius could do a better job than I'm probably going to do. Not that I'll ever tell him that of course. It's been strange these past couple of days, only really earlier did we stop walking on eggshells around each other. Sirius apologised just before breakfast on Tuesday, we were both in a much better mood (thanks to Lily!) and I don't even really know why we fell out in the first place. We just did, we were both in atrocious moods and the only people we were able to take them out on was each other. You know what they say about people taking everything out on the ones they love except, I don't love Sirius. Not like _that _anyway.

Sirius' reaction to me being picked was as expected.

"Billie?" He scoffed, "If you confunded Filch he could probably still do a better job." He and James both laughed quietly to themselves (and of course Peter joined in) but soon stopped under Minnie's cool glare. You'd have thought Pads would know by now that McGonagall doesn't appreciate it when people laugh at their own jokes.

"Well, Mr Black, Miss Potter is the only Seventh year in my house not already a prefect that I can trust to do the job for a night." I'm not going to lie, I did feel a little surge of pride - she doesn't hate me after all! . . . Or maybe she just likes me more than Padfoot.

"Ah!" Sirius cried out, leaning down to clutch his shin where Lily had kicked him to stop any more remarks. She received a disapproving but amused look from McGonagall. Suck up: Lily's every teacher's favourite, if I'd have done that I would get the whole "immature actions! Consequences, consequences, consequences!" lecture.

"You'll be patrolling with Mr Lupin," I was addressed, "He'll show you what to do, understood?"

"It'll be fine professor." Moony smiled his prefect smile and I saw him get a warm look from the professor. I didn't have time to voice a single "but!" before she swept away. I watched her march back up to the staff table and turned to face the rest of the group with a stricken look on my face. "Billie, it will be fine!" Remus attempted to reassure me. From my side Lily patted my arm.

"You never know . . . you might love it and completely change your bad-ass ways."

Sirius and Remus snorted at the unlikelihood and James looked quite shocked that Lily had said a bad word.

"Or we could always just call Filch in?"

"Don't be so-"

"OW!"

Hopefully Padfoot's shin bruises will last a long time.

**12****:30pm**

I'm back from patrolling with Moony and I actually had quite a good time! Granted, it was a little awkward when we had to open all the broom cupboards and I don't think my eyes will ever recover from the amount of flesh I have seen tonight. Really!

"So how was Quidditch?" He asked me as we reached the second floor. He had his hands in his pockets and without the extra weight of all the books he's usually carrying around he was walking quite tall and straight. He looked happy and, I hate to say it, but he looked normal. Which I find to be strange because it's only two nights away from the full moon and usually by now he's all ratty and nervous.

"Awful!" I admitted casting my mind back to the quidditch practice James had forced us into having straight after dinner. Never mind the rain lashing down or the winds that could have blown us all off our brooms, "it's good to get practice playing in all weather conditions". Never mind that we haven't even got a game tomorrow, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw are playing, and the people in their teams are all furious at us for stealing the time they needed, "we're stopping them from getting practice so that we look the better than them". Never mind that they had treacle sponge for dessert and most of us ate so much that we were nearly sick during out ten laps of the quidditch pitch (through the mud and puddles, may I add) we "shouldn't have eaten so much, treacle tart is not good for our health and we need to be in tip top condition if we want to get to the tournament and represent England!". Despite all this, we are getting stronger as a team. Nothing's changed dynamically since Sammie and John have started going out, actually, it's the situation has improved because now they don't waste time actually flirting with each other, they just share little looks which takes less than half the they used up before. Peter and Emmeline are acting like true professionals and I really can't wait until next weekend because we're going to show Slytherin how quidditch is meant to be played. But today's practice was terrible!

"Really? I thought you loved quidditch practice, you're all usually really hyped and cheerful when you get back?"

"It was terrible! The power's gone to James' head, can you believe he had a huge go at us for not doing all the sit ups and press ups he wanted us to do?" James had stood us all in a line and went down the line asking how much exercise we'd done in the past week and apart from my little stroll in the forbidden forest and the sit ups I did on Wednesday night because Prof. Jubential bet that I wouldn't be able to do more than Martin (oh, how wrong he was), I haven't done any exercise at all.

"Yes actually," I was told decisively, "He's quite particular about your team. I know I certainly wouldn't want to be the one not doing as they were instructed." He gave me a knowing look and we laughed, it is usually me who's not doing as he tells us. "How much did you say you'd done?"

"Um, about 650 sit ups and 200 press ups and I went for a run." Yes, I exaggerated a little, what are you going to do about it? Remus burst out laughing, startling the portrait of a greying and rather rotund centaur who had been drifting off to sleep.

"And what did you really do?"

"About 450 sit ups and I got chased around the forbidden forest – hey! It's _not _funny Remus, I could have been killed! You should have seen my gash!"

"Your gash?" He continued laughing as he pulled open a broom cupboard door, thankfully it was empty, "Lily told me about that, she said it was only a 'gash'," He made an effort to put a sarcastic emphasis on that word even through his snorts of laughter, "Because you'd tried to heal it yourself and you should never perform healing magic!" At first I thought this was some kind of rule: _thou shalt not perform healing magic,_ but then I realised he was just insulting me.

"Well it was all Sirius' fault anyway!" I told him. He sighed, it could have been at my rubbish attempt at a comeback or because Padfoot and I had manage to get in a mood with each other AGAIN.

"You two are like little kids! I don't know why we all put up with you both!" I gasped and took mock offence. "Seriously – don't say the pun Billie – you fight over the most puerile things and then make up almost straight away! It leaves the rest of us wondering what the point in you falling out was in the first place!"

"He annoys me!" I insisted.

"But you love him," Remus countered and continued quickly as I opened my mouth to object, "In a platonic way _of course_!"

"He annoys me." This time it was more of a mutter than a protest, I glanced up at Remus and saw he was grinning. "Oh shut up! Why are you so happy anyway?" Remus' grin stretched wider.

"Because! I'm alive and well . . . well enough anyway, and it's not every night you get to go on prefect patrol with one of your _best friends in the whole wide world_." We stepped closer to a broom cupboard and Remus reached for the handle.

"Aw, Moony, that's sweet but what are you- AHH MERLIN'S NACKERS!" Inside the cupboard were two . . . very naked Hufflepuff sixth years. Thankfully the looks of shock on their faces were so priceless I could look at them and not the other parts of their body. I felt myself turning as red as they were but Remus remained remarkably composed.

"Back to your dorms please." He said, handing them both a detention slip. Cool as a snozzcumber he was. We stood in silence until they had disappeared out of sight, after that Remus started laughing at me.

"How did you handle that so well?" I asked in awe.

"You just get used to it I guess." He shrugged, the laughter lines fading from his face as we stopped at a rain splattered window that looked out onto the Whomping Willow. The grounds of Hogwarts look so miserable in the wind and rain, my teeth ground together as my eyes ran over the quidditch pitch I had been flying around barely an hour before. Then, a strong gust of wind pushed the clouds along the sky and the too-bright, almost full moon was revealed. It was heart breaking how Remus shied away from it, his face contorting a little with what looked like pain and definitely fear. As soon as it appeared it was covered again and we both exhaled noisily, I didn't even realise I had been holding my breath. Remus turned silently and strode down the corridor.

"Remus?" I dared to whisper after jogging to catch up with him, he wouldn't make eye contact and I suddenly missed the happy, normal Remus I had been walking with not two minutes ago.

"'M fine." Liar.

"I'm not blind." Remus turned to me and gave me a pained look and he didn't need to say anything else. I just hugged him.

And twenty minutes, four occupied broom closets and eight remarks on how rubbish the weather is, I had the happy and slightly sarcastic Remus back. Maybe it was just the pleasure of handing out all those detentions, I know it gave me a buzz! Oh dear, I did not write that, one night as a prefect and I'm turning into one. Where's Sirius? He's the only one who can save me now!

When Lily got back off her patrol, which lasted longer than mine, (wow, that sounds so strange!) she made no attempt not to sound smug when I told her that I actually had an alright time. Obviously I told her that, she doesn't know about the furry little problem and if I told her that Remus got upset she'd only begin asking questions. Instead, we talked about the whole broom cupboard situation whilst packing our bags and getting ready for bed. Lily found my reaction funny because apparently you'd have thought that someone who spends so much time with Sirius Black would have a high nudity tolerance. I wasted no breath trying to explain to her that I can actually keep Sirius in check. I can!

Anyway, I need to be awake and alive for tomorrow, it's a match day!

I may do a few sit ups first though.

Stupid power-crazy twin.

* * *

A/N: hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was a little shorter than usual but don't worry, i plan to make up for it with the next chapter which will be a kind of double bill, with two days of diary entry instead of just one. who's excited?

by the way, my 100th reviewer gets a prize.


	38. Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw

A/N: Hey there everyone :)  
sorry about the length of time it has taken to update but hey, this is a 6,000 word chapter, you can't complain! actually, this chapter is rather special because it is the very first of the two-day chapters that i said i would start posting, that's two diary entries in one chapter you lucky people . . .

muchas gracias for all the reviews! they really, honestly made my day every single one of them and i'm sorry that i haven't replied to any of them but i've been pretty weighed down with exam revision at the moment (although i've finished my spanish GCSE course FOREVER hopefully so i'm very happy about that!) so i haven't had time to replay. however, from now on i will do my very best to reply to your reviews and any questions/suggestions you might have - and to thank you of course because you're all so beautiful :)

that's: **Happy Fat Hippo**, **Yune - The Ravenclaw Writer**, **MissDracoMalfoy1998 **(MY 100th REVIEWER! MUCH LOVE!), **Anon**, **joanvindiesel **(the only one to pick up on my snozzcumber reference, because you're cool like that:)), **SMUSH04**, **SmileLIKEyaMEANit **(i was distraught you didn't login so i could answer all your questions . . . but let me just say you're quite close with a few things . . .), **siriusblack4evaxX**, **FezzesRCool125**.  
and, of course, my amazing beta: **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe**, she's pretty amazing so you should totally go and check her stuff out :)

one last thing, i really don't want you to make any assumptions about professor j in the first diary entry, he's really not creepy, honest :/  
enjoy!

* * *

**10****th**** Nov**

**Hufflepuff Vs Ravenclaw**

**12:00pm**

I can't believe it! Ravenclaw actually won! Yes, I am aware of how mean I sound but really, they could barely get past the half way line with us! I guess my expectations of the Hufflepuff players were too high. Not that they didn't play well, their standard was alright. Diggory is a better chaser than I'd hoped but the team as a whole just lacks formation and drive. It looked awfully like a one man show with Dickory up there and I think the reason they got beat was because Ravenclaw have really pulled up their socks since they played us. The beaters were certainly much better and the seeker had definitely improved, he did catch the snitch after all.

I actually quite enjoyed my morning, it ended up just being Sirius and I in the stands. Lily was standing with all Amos' mates as she had been forced to wear a Hufflepuff scarf and therefore wasn't welcome in our part of the stands, Remus wasn't feeling too good, what with the full moon being so close, so he went back to the dorm and surprisingly accepted James and Peter's offer to join him.

"It's just us two now." Padfoot grinned at me as the other two boys' heads disappeared down the stairs. I smiled back. Fortunately it wasn't raining earlier but it was quite chilly and the Gryffindor stands were disappointingly sparse. _**And it's Diggory with the quaffle- **_Padfoot and I are completely back to our normal, bickering selves and for the hour the match was on we tossed insults back and forth like no tomorrow, not only at each other but at the players as they flew past. We laughed for ages when Gove, the Ravenclaw captain, made a particularly bad move that put him right in the path of one of the bludgers (luckily for him he managed to dodge in time, Professor Jubential nearly laughed, you could hear it in his commentary) and we couldn't resist waving jauntily at Lily in the other stands. She was stood right at the edge of the bobbing Hufflepuff crowd and looked like she'd rather be anywhere but where she was at that moment. Sorry Lily, but that's what you get when you go out with a Hufflepuff/one of the biggest dicks of all time. I was very pleased when Ravenclaw won, if only because Diggory nearly snapped his broom in anger.

"Hey Billie!" Professor Jubential's voice called out to me as we were all making our way back to the castle. I turned to see him jogging down the stairs, blonde hair flapping about in the breeze. Sirius gave me a half annoyed glance, he's not the most of social of creatures and I knew he was dying to get back to the dorms and see Remus so I gestured for him to go on.

"I can manage by myself!" I insisted, pushing him in the same direction as everyone else was travelling. He didn't comment, instead just throwing a cocky grin over his shoulder. I shook my head at him and then smiled as Sir appeared by my side.

"Good game, huh?" He smiled back as we joined the stragglers. I shrugged.

"It was alright, I guess." Sir let out a loud laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, you only say that because you're in the best team in the school!" As soon as he said that he stopped laughing and a look of: _oops _replace the mirth. "For the record I never said that." It was my turn to laugh.

"What did you want me for sir?" I asked, suddenly feeling a little nervous as he slowed his pace so we weren't within earshot of anyone.

"You know it's the full moon tomorrow?" Really, what kind of friend does he think I am? I nearly asked him that but I held my tongue, nodding instead. "Well, I was thinking, we can't have you wandering the corridors in a near catatonic state again," he paused and I blushed, surely I wasn't that bad, I just worry about Remus! "It's nothing to be ashamed of, you obviously care a lot about your friends but instead of wandering around and getting yourself in a state you should come to my room tomorrow night, just to talk and stuff." He blushed when he realised the possible implications of what he'd just said. "It might take your mind off it for a little while and the rest of the boys are welcome but I get the feeling they like to do their own thing." I nodded without committing to anything, he's put me in a sort of dilemma, I could go and relax and probably be a lot better off for it but there's always the chance that he might start asking the questions that I can't answer and then what do I do? He sensed my hesitance, "Well, think about it, I'll be in my room if you need me, you can help me mark!" I laughed a little, we were back inside now and I was getting goosebumps from the warm castle air after the November winds outside.

"Careful sir, you don't want to make it sound too tempting!" He grinned hugely before telling me to think about it and heading for the staff room, leaving me to wander back up to the dorm annoyed at all the thinking I have to do about my situation. I do want to go, it's just I don't want to end up ruining everything just because I feel a little unhappy on full moon nights. I'm sure it's nothing compared to what Remus has to endure and I don't want to be selfish. I just don't know if I can take another night of worrying and being alone, not when there's an alternative right in front of me. Maybe I should ask Remus.

**10:00pm**

So the boys found out about my little "Jubential dilemma". I didn't tell them or anything but Sirius figured there was something wrong with me throughout dinner, I was a little too quiet, and wouldn't stop pestering me until I told him. Which, I am quite proud to say, wasn't until much later on in the night. Sirius had gone for a trip down to the kitchens, partly because he was hungry (although I can't see how after all the food he ate at dinner) but mostly because he was filled with the nervous energy he always gets on the night before a full moon.

"I'll be back soon." We heard him call as the Fat Lady swung shut but an hour later we were still finding ourselves Padfoot-less and bored with my Potions essay and desperate to escape the company of James who was trying to explain it to me, I decided to go and find him.

When I was fairly alone in the corridors, I whipped out the map and began scouring it for a little black dot with the name Sirius Black next to it. Soon enough I spotted him, en route back to the dorm and headed his direction. The three little dots of Sarah Freeth, Jess Guetting and Emily Sandlong that were also heading towards Padfoot didn't escape my attention. It was obvious that they were going to reach him before I did and as I rounded the corner that would take me onto the same one as them I stopped in the shadows, suddenly feeling quite nosy.

"So, Siri," The fake, high pitched voice of Sarah Freeth rang out. I'll admit it, I was filled with loathing. "I saw you in the Quidditch stands today." Of course she did, she'd have to have been blind not to see the bright red scarf he was wearing, just to be an idiot of course, a supportive idiot, but an idiot none the less. Padfoot took a while answering, swallowing whatever food he'd had the Elves labour over for him.

"Yes, did you like my scarf?" I almost laughed and gave myself away; unfortunately the three girls seemed to miss the sarcasm.

"It was well fit-" Sandlong cut in but was promptly silence by her posse leader talking again.

"It really brought out the colour in your eyes." Freeth simpered. I really, honestly hate it when girls simper, it shouldn't happen! I vow to do my best not to simper, especially not to Padfoot. Also, I like the way she says that red brings out the _grey_ in Sirius' eyes, if anything the orange of all the foundation she wears brings out the _red _in her eyes. Red because she's EVIL – and nobody likes her . . .

"Right." Came the short and bored reply, of course, it was a reply all the same and enough to get them shrieking, sorry, I mean talking, again.

"We were hoping to see you out here," Oh, I bet they were, "We're having a little get together in our common room, just to celebrate and we wondered if-?"

"Wait!" The corridor was filled with the sound of Sirius' bark-laugh, "You're having a celebration of losing?" When I thought about it, it was quite stupid. Mind you, they are the epitome of stupid, that's why they're Hufflepuffs. "That is the most idiotic thing I think I've ever heard!" I don't think they quite understood that he was actually laughing at them and they definitely ruined it by joining in laughing with.

"So, Siri, will you come?" Sirius' laughter stopped suddenly as if someone had stunned him. I almost revealed myself just to make sure they weren't Padfoot-napping him. Then he spoke, his voice cold.

"No, I will not come to your party because, if you hadn't noticed, I am a _Gryffindor _therefore I have a certain amount of pride and integrity that stops me from attending loser parties." I chose that as my moment to walk into there corridor and I had to bite my lip from laughing at the shocked looks on the (stupid) Huffleslut's faces and the one of great relief on our Padfoot's.

"Have fun celebrating your loss," I told them as Padfoot literally grabbed me and started walking away, "I know we will be!" Padfoot and I couldn't stop sniggering as we turned the corner. Ahh, if looks could kill!

"So what's bugging you?" I was asked when we were out of earshot. Sirius had his arm around my shoulders so he couldn't have missed me tensing up. "I demand the truth." And of course, whatever Sirius Orion Black demands he gets. I sighed deeply and noticed the smell of those cheap cigarettes seemed to be fading from Sirius' general smell, it was odd.

"I have a dilemma if you must know." Out of the corner of my eye I saw an amused grin flash across his face, "If you're going to patronise me just forget it." The grin disappeared and he nipped my shoulder.

"I'm not patronising you! I want to know what's troubling you so I can fix it before we all leave you tomorrow night." Something twisted uncomfortably in my gut and his remark was met with silence. "That's what's wrong isn't it?" He stopped and pulled me round to face him, a concerned look in his eyes. I broke eye contact and shrugged. "Billie?"

"Not really."

"Go on."

I took a deep breath; I was going to need it. "'mscaredthatifIgoI'llsaysomethingishouldn'tandthenyou''-"

"Billie-"

"-and I don't want any of you to get hurt." I finished sadly before letting out a loud "Mph!" as I was crushed into a hug.

"Billie you . . . girl! Why didn't you tell us any of this at dinner, or even straight after the match? Of course you're going to go tomorrow night, in fact if you don't go I'm going to get Moony to come and eat you." He raised an eyebrow childishly and I allowed myself to smile. "I can't believe you've been worrying about this! Of course you're not going to say anything, we trust you Billie, it's why you're a Marauder and it's the reason that you have to live with the worry every full moon, because you won't tell the secret to anyone." We fell into silence. A look of pure regret fell onto Sirius' face as we both remembered his betrayal and how he had nearly cost us all everything. Without really thinking I grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard, reminded of the way I comforted him back in 5th year when it actually happened and at the start of the holidays when he had run away.

"That was two years ago Padfoot and it's not the same-" I stopped as his eyes became glassy, "Remus trusts you with his life, he loves you, we all do." Sirius wiped his eyes hastily and squeezed back allowing me to see the hope in his eyes. I gave his hand one more squeeze before dropping it, "Now grin or something before other people see you actually have emotions!" The bark-laugh came out a little hoarse, but it was there.

"Shut up Billie. Hey, when do you think those Hufflepuffs are going to leave me alone?"

"They won't." I replied shortly as we reached the staircase that would lead us right up to the fat lady. Sirius looked affronted.

"No Billie, this is the part where you say: when you stop being so incredibly sexy Padfoot."

"No Sirius, this is the part where I ask you if you remember the password and if so to say it."

"Ashwinder Eggs." He laughed.

"Whatever," My voice echoed in the small space of the portrait hole as we clambered through, "Someone should really write these down for me."

"But then anyone could get the password!"

"Sure they could."

"Murderers, madmen, Azkaban escapees, you name it."

"No-one has ever escaped from Azkaban Pads, that's the point."

"Not yet." I was given a knowing look and I rolled my eyes. Has the boy never heard of dementors?

**11****th**** Nov**

**THE Jennifer Parker?**

**1:00am**

I went to Professor Jubential's room tonight; I got back about half an hour ago actually. During dinner I was having my doubts on whether or not to just spend the night up in the astronomy tower, avoid everyone and just not grin but bear it until Sir gave me a nod from the staff table with a safe amount of concern in his eyes, he must have noticed that I wasn't eating, and James spotted him.

"You are going tonight aren't you?" He asked me, Padfoot's head snapped up from his spaghetti and they both fixed me with a sort of parental look. Remus had already gone up the hospital wing to meet Madame Pomfrey after a very long hug from me. I shrugged, there was no point in lying to them because they'd only find out if I hadn't gone and then possibly eat me. "Billie-!"

"I don't know ok!" I cried out a little louder than I meant to. Several fourth year girls gave me a curious look, Padfoot smirked. "I don't know." I repeated, much quieter this time, "What if I say something accidentally? Is it really worth it?"

"Yes." James insisted, reaching over the table to grab one of my shaking hands. "Billie, you're going to end up a wreck if you keep going like this every full moon for the rest of your life. You're not being selfish if you go, if anything you're the least selfish one of the five of us," Pete and Sirius nodded solemnly and James lowered his voice to a whisper, "Being with Remus makes us feel less worried about him, we have a purpose and being half human-half stag really doesn't really leave you with much room up here," He pointed in the direction of his bird's nest, his 'hair'. "To worry about things. Remus is a wolf looking after his pack so aside from the pain of the transition he's usually happy as Larry-"

"Who _is _Larry? And why is he ALWAYS happy?" Peter asked, swallowing down a large portion of bread and butter. James and Sirius gave him incredulous looks and despite myself, I almost laughed. "Just kidding – your faces." We shared a grin and then I turned back to a rather disgruntled James.

"What I was _trying _to say is that you have the hardest time emotionally and we're all completely happy for you to do whatever you need to in order to make it easier for you-"

"That _is _a funny saying isn't it . . ." Padfoot cut in thoughtfully. With a short_, _sharp 'thwack', Padfoot and Wormtail were clutching the backs of their heads and James was picking up his knife and fork again.

"You could at least attempt to be more supportive." He stated acerbically.

"Sorry Mama Potter." Sirius smiled his most innocent smile and James hit him again but this time a lot more playfully.

I walked them all to the Entrance Hall shortly after dinner and gave them all long, nervous hugs before handing over the map and the invisibility cloak I had been hiding in my bag. Apparently I am less likely to have it taken off me, especially since McGonagall put me on 'nerd duty'. I did try to point out to James that he was full time chief of the nerds but he wouldn't listen.

"If you mark my essay give me an O." Sirius whispered in my ear when I gave him his hug. I said nothing, only quirking an eyebrow at him in a way that clearly stated: you wish.

Going to Jube's classroom was actually a brilliant excuse a few minutes later when I had the pleasure of bumping into Lily and the displeasure of having to make eye contact with Amos Diggory. I did try to avoid them, I know, it's cruel, avoiding your best friend but what was I supposed to do? If Dickory found out about Remus I think the end would come. Alas, they saw me.

"Billie!" My favourite ginger called and after a couple of milliseconds fast thinking I came to the conclusion that I couldn't pretend not to hear her.

"Oh, hey." Instead I opted for the, moody, I don't want to be around anybody right now approach to scare them off. It didn't really work.

"Where are you going because Amos and I are going to the library to get some resources for the Herbology homework, you could come if you want?" Again I found myself scrambling for excuses, if only I didn't care about Lily's feelings. I opened my mouth to tell her I'd already done it or something when she spoke: "You haven't done it yet, I checked for you."

"Convenient." Diggory muttered what I was thinking, Merlin, wasn't I going to get a chance to worm my way out of this? Lily turned and gave Diggory a look but I personally feel it would have been much better if it contained real anger rather than lovey-dovey anger.

"So, are you coming?" Lily's eyes were open and inviting (and guilty-tripping) whereas when I glanced at Diggory he was glaring daggers at me. The look on his face almost made me want to join them, just so I could constantly talk to Lily and wind him up but then I remembered my arrangement with Professor Jubential and saw my chance to escape.

"Sorry, Lily but I've already made arrangements with Professor Jubential, I promised I help him mark some of his work and I always do my Herbology with Sirius, he might get a little annoyed with me if I do it with you girls." Lily overlooked my insult and looked actually quite crestfallen. Diggory was both glaring at me and looking smug. Trust me, it's not an attractive combination, Hufflepuffs should definitely try to stick to one emotion at a time.

"Oh, ok well have a good night . . ." We smiled weakly at each other and I made to move passed them, shocked when Lily grabbed my arm and pulled me closer whispering in my ear: "Are you sure you're ok? You're shaking." I nodded and attempted to smile, it was nothing new – I've been shaking on and off all day. She had worried eyes but she let me go anyway and Diggory dragged her away.

As it was barely half past seven I decided I'd go back up to the dorm and see if I could make any sense of my Arithmacy homework before I went over to the classroom, I didn't want to arrive too early and end up overstaying my welcome. I managed to get half of it done in my own little corner of the Common Room before the noisy game of exploding snap some third years were having ground my nerves to a nub. They all looked incredibly scared when I stood up and my glance in the mirror when I went back up to the dorm confirmed that I looked rather wild. I decided to take a shower and thankfully I wasn't in there long enough to starting thinking about what the boys were doing, to start to worry. I couldn't be bothered changing back into my uniform when I had dried myself off and there's no strict rule about everyone being in uniform after dinner anyway so I put on a pair of jeans I found at the bottom of my trunk, a t-shirt and my faded quidditch hoodie. The clock in our dorm read half past 8 and I couldn't see any point in holding off the inevitable any longer, I grabbed my bag and headed out of the dorm.

"Come in!" Professor Jubential's voice sounded far too loud after my silent walk along the pretty much deserted corridors, trying to not let my mind wander out to the shrieking shack and to its inhabitants. I walked into our usual classroom and remarked at how strange it looked when empty. An open door cast a little light into the room and from the room beyond I could hear the faint hum of a Weird Sisters song. "I'm in here, just come in." Feeling a little cautious I stepped into the well lit room. Inside was a smallish, circular room decorated in a similar way to the Gryffindor Common Room. There were a few bookshelves lined up against the red walls, a gramophone of epic proportions and a warm, open fireplace surrounded by a sofa and a large, obviously comfortable, chair. Grinning at me from this chair sat a rather tired looking Professor Jubential. "Thank Merlin it was you, I wouldn't want any snotty first years in my office!"

I snorted, taking a seat on the sofa when he gestured for me to. "This is your office?" I thought back to all the offices I had seen, McGonagall's was shaped like this but contained much more tartan and there was no indication that she lived in there, no dirty socks on the floor or guitar propped up in the corner, Slughorn's office makes me cringe with all the green and black and we all know Dumbledore's office is just out of this world. Vaguely, I wondered what Dumbledore's dirty socks looked like. Sir grinned at me a little sheepishly.

"Well, I don't usually get visitors so it's become my living room too." I quirked an eyebrow up at him. "Hey! If you saw the size of the rooms they give you you'd be complaining too!" I allowed myself to smile, who'd have thought, a teacher complaining about Hogwarts. "Anyway," He's voice became more gentle, "How have you been doing today?" I thought about my answer carefully, as to not give away too much.

"Erm, I've been alright, just . . . worried." He gave me a sympathetic look.

"Well, hopefully helping me mark all these quizzes will make you feel much better!" We both laughed. He rose from his chair and I smiled at the body imprint he left behind in the leather. "Would you like a butterbeer?"

"Please." He wandered over to a cabinet and as he got the drinks I took time to examine the moving photos on the table next to me. There were several of Sir hanging around with a group of young men, all grinning and happy but the majority were just of him and a pretty blonde girl, hugging and holding hands. I recognised her a little but I don't know where from. "You have a lot of photos." I commented, taking a freezing cold butterbeer from Sir's hand. He grinned.

"I have a friend," He pointed to a red haired man on one of the photos, "Who feels it's his purpose in life to document everything on film, you should see all his photos." I laughed thankful that none of my friends were like that, then my stomach twisted as my mind skipped to the rest of the Marauders and what they were doing right now.

"Who's she? I recognise her, I don't know why." I pointed to the blonde and a warm, faraway look came into Sir's eyes before he could control it, he flashed me a smile and sat down.

"You will do, she's Jennifer Parker."

My jaw just about hit the floor.

"As in THE Jennifer Parker?" Sir grinned and nodded. I couldn't and still can't believe it. Sir knew Jenifer Parker, one of the greatest chasers in modern quidditch, she's like an idol of mine. Really diary, if you had eyes I would have made you watch the last England game, she played amazingly. They say she was snapped up by the England squad just after she left Hogwarts, I know if I am ever in that position I'll be taking the opportunity with open arms. WIDE open arms. "I don't believe it." I muttered, examining her smiling face on the photos more closely and wondering why I didn't recognise her immediately. Finally I tore my eyes away and looked at sir who was watching me with an amused look on his face.

"We used to be good friends when we were your age and after we left Hogwarts but she kicked off with her quidditch and I started auror training so contact pretty much ceased." He sounded a little bitter when he told me about the quidditch, and judging by how close they were in the photos, i.e. couple close, I would say they were more than just friends. However, an awkward silence was beginning to unfold and silence meant I had to start thinking about other things and feeling sick again.

"How is auror training?" I asked, genuinely interested, I've never really thought of another career other than being an auror or (in my dreams) quidditch. I took a sip of my butterbeer, savouring the contrast between the cold liquid and warm taste while sir spoke.

"It's hard, really hard but I think it will be worth it. Unfortunately you don't get paid anything during the training, which is why I took this job."

"A home and food for a year." I commented, it was quite a clever decision on sir's part, plus he had the chance to expand his knowledge on different aspects needed for the training and of course, he got to spend time with the fantastic students like me.

"It's not just that! I do enjoy teaching but sometimes when I'm going through really basic stuff with the first years I just wish I could be out doing something useful." I nodded, it must be frustrating.

"What can I help you with then?"

An hour later I was only a quarter of the way through the stack of second year quizzes sir had given me to mark. I had to stop myself from laughing a few times at the answers they had given.

"Don't worry," Sir smirked as he looked up from marking our work, "It's ok to laugh - I usually can't help myself when I'm reading your work." I mock scowled at him. "Just kidding, just kidding, it is bad though the stuff they put, you would think I had taught them anything at all." I laughed, holding back the urge to tell him he probably hadn't. "Oh, what do you think I should give Sirius?"

"A T." I replied instantly, sir laughed at my quick response. "Please, it would be worth it just to see the look on his face!"

"It's actually a really good essay." Sir's eyes skimmed over it, impressed.

"Better than mine?" I couldn't help but inquire. Sir smiled knowingly.

"That's for me to know."

"That's unfair."

"How?"

"It . . . just is?" He laughed at me slightly incredulously so I tried the puppy dog eyes.

"Stop it Billie, I'm not telling you!" I frowned at him. "You and Sirius are so alike!"

"Oh, don't even go there! For one-"

"-Shhh!" Sir stood up excitedly and bounced over to the gramophone, "I LOVE this song!" He used his wand to turn the volume up as far as it would go and I couldn't help the massive grin that spread across my face when I recognised the heavy guitar part of a Weird Sisters song. Believe or not, sir actually has a pretty good singing voice – unlike James, Merlin he really should never sing ever. Not that I'm much better mind you. When the album ended it felt horrible, the music and sir's singing had been a welcome distraction from all the niggly little feelings in my stomach that refused to budge. I sighed quietly and tried to make out the scrawl on the test I was marking. "You feeling ok?" Sir asked.

"I hate full moons." I told him.

"Me too." He replied quietly, I gave him a surprised glance but he didn't elaborate, "Who do you blame?"

"Fenir Greyback." I said quietly, I had thought about this before on full moons, it wasn't really a case of blaming someone, lycanthropy isn't anyone's 'fault' so you can't really blame them if they bite by accident or are in a situation where they have no choice but to go and bite an innocent child just for revenge and the taste of blood? It makes me feel sick. "Biting by accident is forgivable surely but to bite someone in cold blood-" I stopped as tears threatened to well up in my eyes, "-To someone like Remus." Sir looked at loss as to what to do as obviously hugging me could be classed as inappropriate.

"Hey, Billie, it's ok . . ."

I laughed pathetically at his failed cheering up. "Sorry, I am admittedly terrible at emotional things . . . Ask anyone." I wiped my eyes.

"I'm fine, and you're not that bad . . ." I was given a raised eyebrow look, "Fine! You're terrible, but you are good at distracting people which completely makes up for it." Sir laughed loudly and we both jumped as green flames suddenly appeared and a camera flash went off. When my eyes recovered I saw the ginger hair of the friend sir was telling me took all the photos.

"Arthur! Do you really have to keep doing that?" Sir scolded but was unable not to smile.

"Sorry, but I'm hoping one day I'll catch you naked." I had to stuff the sleeve of my robe into my mouth to stop myself from laughing.

"Inappropriate! I have a student in here!"

"What? At this time?"

"Yes, she's helping me mark."

"Lazy sod."

"What do you want? You never floo me unless you want something."

"Lies." 'Arthur' accused, "But now that you mention it-"

"I knew it."

"I'm going out for the day with Molly and her family tomorrow."

"Ah."

"Exactly."

" . . . Hey Billie, didn't you used to go out with Gideon Prewett?"

I blushed violently, this Molly must be his much older sister that he always used to moan about, how did sir even know who I used to go out with?

"Who told you that?" But of course it could only have been,

"Sirius . . .?" Unfortunately, before I could get mad and start screaming at him and then run off to find a deep well and throw Padfoot down it, Arthur spoke.

"Not the point, I need your help!" I felt like thanking him but felt it best just to keep silent. Sir folded his arms and waited, "I need to borrow that white shirt of yours."

"Arthur, you have loads of white shirts – what have you done now?" I smiled at the weary tone Sir's voice adopted; this Arthur must be quite a guy to have around. There was a muffled coughing from the fireplace. "Have you been tinkering around with muggle items _again_?"

"I was only trying to work an Eeron! I didn't realise they got hot!"

Sir gave his friend an exasperated look and then passed it to me when I started laughing.

"Every single week! One sec Billie," He marched over to one of the two doors and I heard him shuffling about inside before re-appearing with several white shirts. "Never say I don't do anything for you." He warned dropping the shirts into outstretched arms.

"I never will."

"Say hi to Mollywobbles for me, and to Gideon from Billie-"

"-Please don't!" I called out, feeling stupid because I couldn't see the face I was talking to.

"Sure, have a good night – and have fun teaching those first years tomorrow, Frank told me to tell you _confringo_, _confringo_, _confringo!_" They both burst into laughter, sir shaking his head. The joke was never explained although I have a feeling it had something to do with Sir destroying the students. Who could blame him?

I eventually left Sir's office at about midnight, he felt a little guilty because if I had been caught by Filch I'd have been given a detention but he gave me a tiny vial of dreamless sleep potion and after he had assured me that he passed his potions NEWT with an O, I took it off him.

"Billie," Sir began as I turned to leave, "Remus is going to be ok, I promise." I smiled weakly.

"Thanks Sir."

"No problem, you're always welcome – sleep well!"

And with that I slid off into the shadows and I won't pretend that I didn't cry the whole way back here, here being Padfoot's bed.

I think (I hope) I'll be able to sleep now, with the aid of Sir's potion anyway. Good night then . . .

Merlin, I hate full moons.

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A/N: review and i'll do my best to write back :L ALSO, i have a week off starting today so if (this could sound strange) you guys wanted any one shots writing then i'd be more than happy to do so. i've read a few fics where authors have said they were taking requests and it sounded like fun so let me know :)


	39. Sleep and Stubborn

A/N: hey guys :)yet another update from me (thirty nine chapters now, i need to get a life)

you all seemed to like the last chapter, which surprised me 'cos i hated it and i hate this one too - ah well, it's whether you guys like it or not really.

much love to all my reviewers, you all know who you are because i should have already replied to your review thanking you personally :) but really you're all that inspires me to keep writing at the moment so all you see is thanks to you

ALSO, as always, many thanks to **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **- she always does a terrific job and any mistakes will be typos of mine - thank you!

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**12****th**** Nov**

**Sleep**

**12:00pm**

We all made it through the night unharmed! Well, when I say unharmed, James and Sirius look a little battered and Sirius has just got a detention for falling asleep in Transfiguration but from what I hear Remus is better than usual and I've had the best night's sleep on a Full Moon since we found out. Whoever taught Professor Jubential potions is some kind of genius . . . unless it was Slughorn then I take it back.

I stayed with Sirius last night, or rather I slept in Sirius' bed and he joined me at about six in the morning. Somehow despite the fact he'd only had about two hours sleep he still managed to wake up before me, I don't know how he does it.

"Billie . . ." You know when you're dreaming and you're all warm and cosy and then somebody just has to come and wake you up? Well that's kind of how I felt this morning. "Billie . . ." A warm hand was shaking me and a voice was whispering right in my ear. "Billie!" I mumbled a: "Nrghh." or something to that description. Unfortunately for me this voice was quite persistent. "Billie! Wake up!" I was slowly coming back to reality. It's an awful feeling. My eyes blinked a couple of times and then opened properly, giving me a blurry view of the usually messy boys' dorm and a tired, but still smirking Padfoot.

"Urgh, what time is it?" I rubbed my eyes and sat up to cast a tempus and answer my own question. The spell cast an orange set of numbers in the stale air above our heads: 8:04. Well if nothing, that woke me up right away. "Padfoot!" I cried, turning to face his confused look with my one of dismay.

"What?"

"It's eight!"

"And?"

"EIIIGGHHHT."

"Just because you extend the word doesn't make me understand."

"We don't have time to go see Remus!"

"Oh sorry, I just thought you know, you might want to _sleep_, you know, seeing as it's such a rare luxury these days." I turned to look at Padfoot properly and I felt a stab of guilt. His usually pristine mane was pretty messy, he looked like a ghost, had huge dark circles under his eyes and I could see a prominent five o'clock shadow despite it being only eight. How could I be mad at him?  
"Sorry." I mumbled, automatically pulling him into a hug and resting my head on his shoulder. "Padfoot . . ."  
"Mhm?"

"Sorry."

He yawned loudly in my ear as if to prove a point. "You said."

"You look like death." He pulled away and stuck his tongue out at me, yawning again straight away. The mattress creaked as he got up out of bed and padded off into the bathroom. I heard a groan of disgust when he looked in the mirror.

"On the contrary, you look perfectly well rested." I joined him opposite the mirror where he was trying to find the will power to squeeze some toothpaste onto his brush.

"Sir gave me a dreamless sleep potion." I explained and Sirius snorted before getting too frustrated with his lack of motor skills and shoving his toothpaste into my hands.  
"It's alright for some." He muttered sounding rather bitter. For a moment I considered taking the toothpaste and squeezing it in his face but then I figured that he was just cranky because he's been running around Hogsmede all night. I screwed the cap back on and placed it back in 'Sirius' Draw', amongst his hair brush and various deodorants. "Go get changed-" Yawn. "-I'll meet-" Yawn. "-You." Yawn. I laughed and received a sleepy glare.  
"Don't fall asleep!" I called and I think I saw him flash two fingers at me before I left the room.

Thankfully, James and Peter weren't as tired and throughout breakfast I was actually able to have a conversation with them. They assured me straight away that Remus was ok and that we would have to wait to go visit him because if Sirius was so sleepy we didn't want to arouse suspicion. (I tried not to offend James when I told him that was the biggest pile of poop I've ever heard but I think I might've.) Still, we aren't going to see Remus until after lunch at least even though it's probably going to kill me. I quietly told the boys about my night with Professor Jubential – James nearly peed his pants when I told him about Sir and Jen Parker and Sirius got even grumpier when I mentioned Molly Prewett and her boyfriend, but he's always had a thing against the Prewetts. I saw Lily briefly at breakfast, just as she was leaving because we had gotten down there that late.  
"Whoa! Hi Billie!" She jumped as I dived into a hug as she walked past. Diggory looked rather put out, especially when she removed her hand from his to wrap it around my shoulders.  
"I'm really sorry about last night, I-"

"Billie, it's fine!" She laughed lightly at the apologetic look on my face, "Don't worry about . . . Is, is Sirius ok there?" I turned around to find that Sirius has fallen asleep into his bowl of cereal, the tip of his nose less than a centimetre away from touching the milk.

"Don't worry!" James cried with a strained smile, "I'll sort it." And then just to make himself more attractive and appealing to Lily he began hitting Sirius on the head with his spoon.  
"Real smooth James." I told him after Lily had hurried off, possibly to try and get away from the resident Gryffindor lunatics.  
"Yeah . . ." Yawn. "James." As we left for Binns' class I noticed Professor Jubential in deep conversation with Dumbledore, they noticed me looking at them and smiled, Professor J even gave me a jaunty little wave.

As usual, History of Magic dragged on by. It was even worse this lesson because Sirius was sleeping and James had somehow managed to promise Moony he'd take notes this lesson so neither of them could write to me. Transfiguration was even worse, Sirius got a detention. McGonagall was in one of her bad moods, it was apparent from the moment we walked through the door and she practically glared us all into our seats. Fifteen minutes into the lesson and most of us, even me who skimps with the note taking, has written about a 12 inches on body part transfiguration. Now, normally you'd have thought this would be right up Pads' street, the perfect opportunity to ask inappropriate and lewd questions about body parts but fifteen minutes in he was struggling to keep his eyes open at all. I could see him out of the corner of my eye, really battling to stay awake. Poor Padfoot, barely two minutes later he was fast asleep.  
"MR BLACK!" McGonagall roared suddenly, halfway through a sentence. I nearly fell out of my chair in fright. Pete actually did.  
"WHOA!" He woke up suddenly and shouted. We all tried to contain our laughter.  
"Please explain why in Merlin's name you were asleep in my class." At first I thought he would try to deny it, I think he was going to but then a huge yawn escaped his lips and I think we all knew it was over.  
"'M tired?" He yawned again and I tried to stifle the one that had risen in my throat, yawns are CONTAGIOUS.  
"Then why do you insist on never getting a full night's sleep? Wandering around the castle until Merlin knows what hour!" I was vaguely thankful that McGonagall didn't actually know where Sirius had been wandering. "This is simply not good enough Sirius. I wasn't acceptable in First Year and it is certainly not acceptable now."

"Sorry professor." He mumbled and she shook her head.  
"Go . . . and sort yourself out. I want to see you in my office during your next lesson. You will be having a detention for this." She gestured to the door and Sirius stood up and grabbed his bag, pocketing the roll of parchment that contained about three lines of notes.  
"What about potions?" He asked, frowning in his attempt to keep his eyes open. McGonagall shot him an icy glare.  
"Do you really think I would send my students off to Professor Slughorn's lesson in your state?"  
Sirius said nothing; he just bowed his head and left the room. Pete fell off his chair again when she slammed the door shut behind him and my arm STILL aches from all the notes she made us take after that. It's going to be awful in potions without Remus there because he's my only hope at a decent conversation when Lily goes into crazy concentration mode. I might get James to come and sit next to me, Sirius will be off getting a bollocking from McGonagall anyway so it's not like he'll be able to moan about it.

**1:45pm**

Just finished off in potions. James did come and sit with me, thank Merlin because not only were we doing an advanced level potion so Lily went into that state of mind, but also because as it turns out we had something to discuss.  
"Shouldn't you ask?" I said as he dropped his bag down onto the floor next to mine. He turned and grinned at me.  
"Nah, Slughorn likes me enough. And if his asks then I'll just say Lily wants me here, he wouldn't deny his favourite student anything." Lily turned to scowl at us both and we sniggered a little.  
"Has Remus said anything about his mother?" She asked quietly and I felt that familiar stab of panic. Fortunately she seemed to be asking James more than me and he's always been better at composing himself.  
"Yeah, he sent us a note this morning. He says she's neither better nor worse but that she was happy to see him." I glanced upwards to see the dark eyes of Severus Snape staring right at us from the front. He noticed I'd seen him listening in and his lip curled before he turned back round. Really, I don't see how Remus being a werewolf affects him anyway. It's not like they're friends, he certainly doesn't _care _about Remus' welfare and he knows full well what will happen to him if he goes blabbing. So why does he even bother?  
"- give them both my love."  
"Sure." I caught the last past of James and Lily's conversation. "You ok Bills?" James asked me, beginning to measure out his ingredients. I started to do the same.  
"Yeah, I'm fine . . ." I searched my brain for a subject changer, "It's Padfoot's birthday next week, isn't it?"

"Merlin, yeah!" James gasped like he had forgotten. "Wow, he's kept that quiet, usually the whole school would know by now." I nodded in agreement, checking the instructions for the next couple of steps.

"He hasn't been able to say much today though has he?" We laughed in memory of his cornflake incident this morning.

"True that. Hey, what are you going to get him?" We dropped into silence, both thinking. Padfoot has never been the easiest person to buy for, unless he tells you what he wants, and he never tells us what he wants, then you're pretty much scuppered. Usually Remus ends up getting him the best presents, because he can worm anything out of him and he's just generally the best at buying presents.  
"I honestly don't know." I replied, "What about you, any ideas?"  
"Not really, I was hoping you'd have a good idea so I could pinch it." He turned and gave me a cheeky grin and I sighed, that was so typically James.  
"Remind me not to share anything with you in the future!" I laughed, "What about parties? Surely he'll want a huge one to mark his ascent into adulthood, especially because he's one of the first to do so in our house." James hummed in uncertain agreement.  
"Don't you think he's been acting a little weird lately?"  
"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's been more subdued. He hasn't been chasing girls around as much this year – actually, I think the last time I saw him with a girl was at that last quidditch party. Don't you think it's weird?" James' voice gradually lowered in volume as he spoke. I sighed, he was right, it is weird and he's definitely changed from last year. But I can't honestly say that I dislike the change. Seeing him bat off Sarah Freeth and other members of his fan club is a pleasant experience for all of us. I would say it's like he has his eye on someone but the only girl he ever really hangs around with is me and I think we'd have noticed if he had someone on his radar, look how quickly we caught Remus out (ignoring the fact we don't actually know who she is yet . . .).  
"Maybe he's grown up?" I suggested and nearly dropped my stirrer into my potion when James burst out laughing.

"Billie, I walked in on him bouncing on my bed the other day to see whether he would bang his head on the ceiling. I don't think he's grown up." I laughed a little, trying to think of other options. "It's weird isn't it?" James repeated after a few seconds silence.

"Yeah, it is. We'll ask Remus."

James nodded. "Two o'clock." He told me and I frowned.  
"That's ages away!"

"Two o'clock."

"James-" I began before Slughorn's booming voice cut me off.

"SILENCE PLEASE! IT IS _FAR _TOO NOISY IN HERE!" Then he proceeded to bore us with tall tales about past students who didn't concentrate in his lessons and what happened to them, "She ended up working on a stall in Knockturn Alley, I've seen her down there!" Really sir, _really? _

**3:30pm  
**At two o'clock James finally got sick of me dropping hints and we all set off to the Hospital wing, minus Sirius who had done a disappearing act since his little meeting with Minnie. He's probably off moping somewhere. Madame Pomfrey gave us all a right demon glare when we walked in but James managed to prove our good intentions with the kg bar of Honeydukes chocolate we had taken from the post-moon supply in the boys' dorm.  
"Messr Moony, how am I finding you?" I asked as I dropped down onto the end of his bed as gently as I could manage. He forced a smile and I had to admit he didn't look as bad as I had seen him before. Granted, he had a few nasty cuts that would no doubt lead to more scarring but he didn't look as pale as usual and his eyes, although tired, didn't hold too much pain.

"Not too shabby, I'll be better after James hands over that chocolate he's pretending he doesn't have." Remus held out his hand and cursing, James placed the bar in his palms. "I could smell it when you were down the corridor." Peter gave Moony an astonished look. "It's a wolf thing Wormtail. Where's Padfoot anyway?"

"He got a detention," I couldn't help but smirk at the memory, Moony gave me an admonishing eyebrow raise. "For falling asleep in Transfiguration, McGonagall was furious."

"-And she made him go visit her during potions and he's gone off for a sulk now." James cut in as if I wasn't able to tell the rest of the story. That irked me a little but I knew it wasn't worth saying anything.

"Which isn't actually a bad thing . . ." I thought aloud, the boys gave me curious/scandalised looks. "His birthday's next Friday and neither James nor I know what to get him. Plus he hasn't mentioned it which is a little fishy."  
"Dibs on chocolate!" Wormtail piped up and Remus and I laughed out loud at the _'damn!' _look on James' face.

"What are you getting -?" I began to ask Remus but cut my question short as a grumpy Sirius Black came storming into the hospital wing, ignoring the cries of Madame Pomfrey to keep it down.

"We'll have to ask him." Remus told us all quickly before he reached the bed.

"Ask who, what?" Padfoot snapped.

"No-one and nothing." James pushed Sirius down into the chair next to the bed and sat on his knee, eliciting an almost growl from him.

"Get off me."

"No."

"Get off me."

"You're comfy!" James winked at me and I couldn't hold in my smile, my brother has always been in his element when winding Sirius up and today it was just too easy.

"Get off me Potter!"

"You also smell nice."  
"James!"

"Yes darling?"

"Remove yourself from my presence before I hex you." I laughed at Sirius' threat and a glance confirmed Moony was grinning at them both. James' plan to entertain Moony was going well then.  
"Let me think . . ."

"James!"

"Shh, I'm thinking!"

"I'll give you something to think about when I shove my wand up where the sun doesn't shine."

"Sounds like a challenge!" At this Sirius began trying to push James off out of his lap but he wasn't able to.

"Billie, move him." I was addressed.

"You don't understand!" James cried, swinging around and wrapping his arms around Sirius' neck. It all looked rather homosexual. "I'm comfortable."  
"Billie! Get him off!"

"How'd your little meeting go?" I asked, ignoring his pleading eyes and my brother as he had started stroking Sirius' hair. He yelped suddenly as Padfoot made to bite his hand. We all laughed at the girly sound.

"If you must know it was awful. McGonagall made me copy out of this mega-old text book for the hour, and because I fell asleep again she's making me come back and do it on Saturday. Saturday!" He emphasised his point by flinging out his hands. Remus started biting his lip nervously. "And she says that if she catches me sleeping or hears reports of me sleeping in class again she'll contact my parents." He yawned and scowled at the same time, the look created was quite humorous. Moony opened his mouth to speak. "Shut up furball, I don't want to hear it," Sirius snapped, "I'm old enough to make my own decisions about who I hang around with and what I do on a night time, so if you feel guilty then get over it." James slowly untangled himself from Sirius and went and curled up next to Remus instead.

"Moony, keep the scary Padfoot away from me!"

"It's alright Prongs, it's alright." Remus gave him an amused look before he started smoothing down his hair in mock comfort.

**13****th**** Nov**

**Stubborn**

**10:45am**

So I've been pestering Sirius all morning about what he wants for his birthday and he is being so incredibly stubborn that I feel I want to hit him. We had Herbology this morning and I decided to seize my chance to ask him about it without any of the others there to steal my ideas. As it turns out, this morning became even more perfect for quizzing him because we weren't actually doing any practical work, instead, drawing diagrams of mandrake roots and describing their full uses in a poster. Exciting stuff right? Sirius got a full night's sleep last night. He wanted me to join him again but I decided I couldn't take the sarcastic and snappy mood he was in and I felt bad about not having talked to Lily in the past 24 hours so I stayed in the girls' dorm and had a big long catch up with her (still no change on the Dickory front unfortunately.) which was nice for a change.

"What?" Sirius asked me quietly as we set off to work, sketching the potato-like roots of the plants in front of us. I had been casually watching him out of the corner of my eye to try and judge what mood he was in and whether it was a good time to coax a present out of him. I blushed, for some reason.

"Nothing much." I replied, feeling a little stupid that the answer didn't quite match up to the question.

"I don't believe you." He dropped his voice even lower in volume. No-one would be able to hear our conversation under the hum of the mandrakes, which was good as we were pretty much surrounded by Slytherins. I looked up at him and he was frowning a little in concern, he smiled quickly when I made eye contact.

"I wanted to ask you something actually." I admitted, reaching out to steal his brown colouring pencil. How mature are we? Almost seventeen some of us and the challenge of the day is colouring inside the lines. Granted, from across the table I could see Mulciber really struggling. Sirius whipped out his wand and cast a silent _mufflatio _which stopped people from listening in further.

"Go ahead, and give me that brown back!" I sighed and handed the pencil over, resorting to taking some Ravenclaw boy's (he had finished with it ok?) instead.

"It's your birthday in ten days!" I tried to sound enthused by my voice fell flat when I saw Padfoot's face fall. "What? I don't understand."

"Billie, you're not to buy me anything." He sounded stern and I nearly laughed at how silly he sounded, "I'm serious!"

"I know, and you're going to be receiving an amazing present if you actually tell me what you want."

"I don't want anything." He fixed me with an intense look.

"Don't lie!" I did laugh this time.

"Billie, I'm not lying, don't you think you've already done enough for me this year? You've invited me into your home, looked after me, fed me, watered me and I haven't given anything back. You've been there exactly when I need you and-"

"And what?" I asked quietly, all of what he was saying was true, we have done a lot for him but to say he hadn't given anything back was a serious misjudgement on his part.

"I don't want to celebrate it." He muttered.

"What do you mean you don't want to celebrate it? It's your birthday!" He gave me a long, pained look.

"I don't think you understand. It's _the _birthday, in ten days time I'll be officially classed as an adult." At the start I didn't feel like I understood either. "I have to grow up. And I don't want to. In ten days time I'm supposed to be an adult I'm supposed to be mature and know what I want and where I want to go with my life but I really don't know. I don't have a clue."

"Padfoot, you really can be dense sometimes." He refused to meet my eyes so I kicked him gently under the table, "You can't possibly believe that it's going to all change overnight? 17 is just a number, and adult is someone who's gone through puberty, been a teenager for a while and come out the other side. I think it's safe to say that you've done that yes?" Sirius allowed himself to grin a little. "And I don't think anyone is able to make decisions about their future at this moment in time – maybe except James, but his just contains a certain ginger and many little Prong-lets."

"What messed up kids," We both laughed, "Attractive, but messed up."

"Are you feeling better now?" I kicked him again, only this time he kicked back.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good, now please stop being emotional or I'll begin to think there's something wrong with you."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Splendid, now what do you want for your birthday?" I felt Sirius tense up next to me as I began jotting facts about the roots down on my page.

"Nothing!"

"You know if I didn't get you anything you would be cheesed off deep down inside, so just tell me!"

"I wouldn't, I'd be happy you actually listened to me for once." I took mock offence.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means if you buy me a gift I won't be your friend anymore." He stuck his nose in the air like a spoilt child.

"Things you never thought you'd hear yourself say."

"I'm trying to be nice here!"

"So am I! I refuse not to buy you a gift, it's whether you tell me what you want or not that depends how good it is." Sirius clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"You're so stubborn!"

"_I'm stubborn?" _ I cried out not realising that the charm had worn off by now and that the whole class could hear my outburst.

"Problem Billie?" Professor Sprout asked and I actually felt the colour spread across my cheeks. Although I do like Professor Sprout, she has the decency to call us all by our given names, even the Slytherins.

"No Professor." I replied, ignoring Sirius' smirk and the mocking eyes of everyone around me. "Sirius is just being stubborn."

"_I'm stubborn?" _ He mimicked my shock and earned himself a few laughs. I just glared at him. "Are you going to drop it now?" He asked once people had decided to mind their own beeswax again.

"Sure." I rolled up my finished poster and put it in my bag so he couldn't copy, "Just expect a really, really bad present."

"I'm sure it won't be as bad as what Kreacher will no doubt send me." He grumbled.

"Sounds like a challenge does that."

How I loved the look of alarm on his face.

**10:00pm**

Just got back from a pretty gruelling Quidditch practice although I have actually done some exercise this week so James didn't shout at me personally which was a relief. He did get annoyed at Sammie and Stony though because they spent far too long getting changed and talking to one another in the shared changing area. Thus, they were both in an eager to please mood and we three chasers managed to master a new set play to try out against the Slytherins in three weeks time (it feels like ages since we've had a match). They really won't stand a chance, no matter whether they nearly beat Hufflepuff or not. I found out some good news for me and some bad news for Sirius when we were getting changed after practice.

"So Sammie, is John taking you out this Saturday?" Emmeline asked with a sly grin.

"As a matter of fact yes he is." Emmeline and I both smiled at the blush that appeared. "But I have told him that if he tries to take me anywhere near Madame Puddifoot's it's over." I laughed out loud. "What about you Emmeline, first Hogsmede weekend of the year, have you got a date?"

"Whoa, it's a Hogsmede weekend this Saturday?" I cut in, trying to dry my hair. They both looked at me like I was stupid.

"Yes Billie it is," Sammie informed me wearily, "It's actually a big deal for us mere mortals who can't sneak into Hogsmede whenever we fancy and not get caught." I gave them both a wry smile and continued to get dressed in silence, letting them resume their conversation. I definitely did not mention that Sirius would be gutted in case they hadn't heard about him falling asleep and took it to mean that he was planning on asking me to go with him. I always try not to set myself up for conversations like that in which I have to dig myself out of.

"So Emmeline, who are you going to go with?" Sammie asked again. I felt kind of sorry for Emmeline, Sammie can really put you on the spot. I don't know how John deals with her.

"No-one." She answered promptly, plaiting her hair while she waited for Sammie to finished fiddling about with her robes. "I'll probably just end up spending the day with Martin if you and John are going off together. I need to get some more ink."

"Ah! So you're going with Martin?" Sammie seemed to miss the relevant parts of Emmeline's reply.

"Nooo, you're going with John so I am left with Martin, see how that works?" She explained, gradually becoming less patient. Sammie shrugged, Emmeline's logic was, as always, undeniable. "Who are you going with Billie?" I was asked.

"Just the boys I think, Lily will no doubt be stolen away by devil-boyfriend and I don't have anyone else to hang out with. Plus I need to buy Sirius a birthday present." I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

"Ohh, what you getting him?" Sammie was suddenly interested. I paused for a second and thought back to this morning's conversation, if you could call it that, in Herbology.

"No idea." I laughed and waved my good byes.

It's strange, part of me wants to be the one to tell Sirius what he'll be missing, yet part of me urges to leave it to someone who could take a punch.

I think I'm going to leave it. Just to be on the safe side, he could still be cranky from yesterday . . .

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A/N: thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed the chapter although it was an arse to write!

also, i've noticed that a large number of you have this on alert but aren't reviewing? why is that guys? surely if you want to be notified when a new chapter is up then it's worthwhile to write a tiny review on it - i don't ask for you all to go **joanvindiesel **style (although her reviews are legendary) - even one word would make me feel a lot better about the story and you'd probably get quicker updates. so PLEASE review! **pleeaaaassseeeee. **(and anon reviewing is allowed, you don't even have to log in!)


	40. Lover Boys and Stupid Canines

A/N: HELLO!

I'm actually here, I haven't abandoned you forever . . . although it feels like forever since I last updated!

Despite that, I have to say a huge, HUGE thank you to all of you who read and reviewed, seriously! I don't think I've ever had so many reviews on a chapter - ever! So thank you so much :) you all make me feel so loved!

This chapter is a bit weird, but I hope you like it. We finally find out what Billie has bought Sirius . . . exciting times.

Much love to my two, yes two, betas **FezzesRCool125 **and **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe** they have gone through this with an extra fine-toothed comb and to repay them you should go read their stories, a few of which I beta! Promotion!

* * *

**16****th**** Nov**

**Lover Boys and Stupid Canines**

**8:00pm**

Fantastic news! There has finally been some positive movement in the Lily/Dickory situation, meaning of course, that they are closer to breaking up so I can have my Lily back. The said Lily came storming into the common room half an hour after dinner and flumped down on the sofa next to me, (and Sirius but he ran to the other side of the room when he saw the angry look in her eyes, is he brave or what?) breathing heavily and with flushed cheeks.

"'Sup?" I asked casually, glancing up from my essay with a nonchalance that would have made Sirius proud – if he had stuck around to see it. Lily opened her mouth, no doubt ready to dive into some rant about something when Remus and James strolled in through the portrait hole.

"Lily, you know Diggory is out there demanding you come and talk to him?" James said, vaulting over the back over the sofa and landing quite heavily on my other side, ruffling my hair when I scowled at him. Remus dropped more delicately into an armchair and Sirius made his way back over now that the boys were here to protect him from the Evans-Wrath. Lily raised a hand to her forehead and sighed deeply in annoyance. The portrait swung open and a few first years scuttled in, wide eyed and pale and as the picture swung shut we all heard a cry of: "LILY!"

"Um, Miss-?" One of the first year girls dared to speak up. Lily removed the hand from her forehead and turned to face the midget with a forced smile.

"Yes?"

"Um, your boyfriend told us to tell you that he wants to talk to about . . ." the girl cast a nervous glance towards James and Sirius as if she suspected they might jump up and eat her, or something. "What you said . . . and that he won't leave until you talk to him."

Lily hissed. She actually hissed. The first year jumped back in fright as Lily stood abruptly, cursing under her breath. I looked over at the boys in bafflement. James and Sirius were wearing mischievous grins and Remus had a furrowed brow.

"Lily, what have you been saying?" James rose slowly to his feet, followed by Sirius. Lily gave him a look that showed a mix of horror and anger.

"You, you stay out of this!" She turned a darker shade of red as my brother laughed and took a step forward.

"Evans?"

"I mean-" The portrait flew open and the loud voice could be heard again: "LILY!" "SWEET MERLIN!" Lily's hand tugged in her hair as she turned and headed towards the corridor. "Don't you _dare _follow me!" She pointed accusingly at us and as she ducked out of the room every marauder stood to follow. After all, we are very daring. Out in the corridor there stood a very cross looking Dickory and a positively steaming Lily.

"I don't want to patrol with you anymore! What's so hard to understand?" She roared, unaware we were all stood watching. Dickory cast a glare at all our amused faces but decided to ignore us.

"I just don't understand why! Surely patrolling with me is better than patrolling with _Potter_!" He spat out my surname and I felt a small bubble of anger for James.

"No!" Lily shouted and we all inhaled in shock. Lily was about to admit she liked James more than Dickory? "No it's not! You know I barely see my friends anymore? Because I have to hang around with yours, who, may I add, are complete and utter _dickheads_. Just because you don't like my friends? Well, I don't like yours and yet I don't force Billie's presence on you, or Remus'!" Moony and I shared a small smile. "So please, can you just accept that I want to spend some time with my own friends?" Diggory crossed his arms childishly.

"So Potter is a friend now then?" He spat through gritted teeth.

"Maybe." Lily crossed her arms too. This was getting ridiculous, I remember thinking that they could have just made it a lot easier for everyone and broken up. "Why would it even matter to you?"

"B-b-because!" Diggory spluttered indignantly, "He _fancies _you!" I think at that part it could have gotten _really _interesting had my stupid mutt Padfoot decided not to conjure up a bowl and summon a bag of popcorn from Peter's stash. Lily spun round angrily as she heard the contents of the bag spilling into the bowl. Sirius froze mid-bite.

"Too far?" He turned to Remus who shook his head sadly.

"Leave." Lily demanded, avoiding looking at James who was staring right at her looking pretty shell-shocked.

Two minutes later we were still waiting for Lily's return in the Common Room, back in the seats we were previously.

"You know what this means though . . ." James fidgeted, tapping the armrest and ruffling his hair at frequent intervals.

"Let me guess," Padfoot had decided that sitting up was for losers and was lying on his back, feet hanging off the edge of the sofa and his head resting against my knees. I stroked his hair absentmindedly, my hair will never be as soft as his, it's too thick. I noticed a playful grin twist his lips. "It's something to do with Lily, and the fact that if she wants to be your friend it probably means she wants to marry you and have your Pronglet babies?" There were a few moments of amused silence in which James glared at Sirius before Remus and I choked out a laugh.

"The sad thing was that he was spot on." Remus leant over to pat James on the shoulder, "Don't get too ahead of yourself."

"You know if it wasn't for _somebody _we would know what was being said?" James looked over at Sirius and scowled.

"Sorry, I was peckish."

"Stupid canine."

"Lover boy." The 'stupid canine' jumped as James snapped his fingers and leapt up.

"I know how I can listen without being seen!" Of course, James was going to go get the cloak. Well that was a bad idea.

"James, sit down!" I told him with as much authority as I could muster. He stopped in his tracks. "Just, leave it ok? The argument has nothing to do with you!" From my lap I saw Padfoot quirk an eyebrow up at me. James opened his mouth to interject. "No, shut up, how do you know that she's even going to ask you to patrol with you? The chances are she'll ask Remus, Diggory was just assuming it was you because he hates you and the idea of Lily having anything to do with you!" All three boys stared at me like I'd sprouted wings.

"I hate it when you're right." James mumbled as he slumped down, throwing a half hearted glare at the fourth years who were ogling at us. Who could blame them? We are the standard Friday night entertainment in the Common Room and it was a very exciting episode tonight.

It was a while before Lily returned to the Common Room. I had managed to coax Padfoot off my knee so I could complete my Transfiguration essay and without my hands in his hair (always calms him down, even when Remus does it) he quickly got tired of the nervous energy James was spewing out so he dragged him off to the kitchens leaving Remus and I in peace for a while.

"She back yet?" They both asked in unison when they returned, handing Remus a bowl of chocolate cake (he was surprised to say the least) and dragging along a nervous looking Wormtail.

"Nope." I answered, packing away my things and accepting a bite of James' cauldron cake.

"Missed me too much?" Padfoot decided to lay on me again now my lap was free.

"Nope."

"Billie-!" I was no doubt about to receive a list of reasons why I missed him but fortunately Lily walked into the room. Everything fell silent. She flushed scarlet when she realised all eyes were on her and I felt it was my duty as best-friend to try and make her feel less nervous. I shoved Sirius off me and went to wrap her in a hug.

"You ok?" I whispered.

"Yeah, I'm just so embarrassed." I pulled away to observe her flushed cheeks and eyes, glittering with the beginnings of tears.

"Don't worry, it'll all blow over." I tried to console her, I probably wasn't much good but I didn't even know what the verdict of there argument had been. I felt a small stab of guilt when I hoped that they'd broken up, only a small one though. She quickly wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, it will be, I just need to- James?" She stepped past me to talk to my brother. He was already stood up with an ambivalent look in his eyes. Padfoot and Moony were trying to hide amused smirks.

"Yeah?" He did it, we were all hoping he'd be able to control himself but he did it, he ruffled his hair.

"Is it possible if we could patrol again? Together I mean?" The whole room was hushed, all eyes looking at the blushing pair. James reached up to touch his hair but he thought better of it and stuffed his hands in his pockets instead.

"Well, yeah I mean-" A look of realisation dawned on James face and the people that had dared to exhale quickly held their breath again. "I'll have to tell Jess that I can't patrol with her anymore . . ." At that moment I felt like burying my head in my hands, what was James doing? _The _girl of his frightening dreams was asking him, nicely may I add, to spend an extra two and a half hours with her every evening and he was about to say he couldn't because of some Hufflepuff who is only being nice to him because she want to get in either his or Sirius' pants? All I'll say is thank Merlin for the creation of Remus Lupin.

"What James means," Moony stood up quickly and grabbed James' shoulder, shaking him slightly, "Is that he needs to speak to Jess before he can say for certain but he would like to." Lily turned an ever darker red and James nodded dumbly, staring at Remus like he had never seen him before.

"Thanks well . . . Get back to me . . .?" Lily put on a falsely bright voice before excusing herself and running up the stairs. I took after her but my wrist was grabbed by James who was hurrying in the other direction.

"You're coming with me." He muttered.

"B-but Lily!"

"Don't worry Billie!" Alice's voice called, I hadn't even realised she was there. "I've got this!" I barely had time to flash a thumbs up before I was pulled through the portrait hole.

"James! You said you _knew _where to find her!" I found myself whining as we walked down the stairs to another floor where Jessica Guetting may or may not have been lurking.

"I know where she is now!" He retorted angrily, speeding up _again. _We had gotten over the dumbstruck looks and the slow mental processes ten minutes before when the situation finally sunk in and now James was a stag on a mission. Literally. I was finding it hard to keep up.

"Just like you knew where she was before?" My legs were aching from our three-corridors-a-minute pace and I was beginning to get grumpy.

"Shut up Billie, she'll be in here-" He dropped the volume level of his voice as he pushed open the door to our old defence classroom. Sure enough, amidst piles of text books and seated behind a frothing potion there sat a rather . . . normal looking Jess Guetting. She looked up in panic as we entered but when she saw it was James her face settled into a small smile. James walked casually over to the desk closest to where she was working and I followed a little nervously. I have to admit, I think if I saw her in the street as she was in that class room I wouldn't have recognised her. She just looked so . . . So un-Sarah Freeth. Gone were the makeup and the falsities. Her skin still looked a little orange, probably due to some previous fake tanning attempt (in November, really?) but she looked a lot healthier without a stack of orange foundation caked on top of that. Her hair had been tied up in a loose bun, no doubt to stop it from being singed by her potion and her robes had been shed and sleeves rolled up. She just looked normal – not like the Jess Guetting who corners people in the corridor to insult them with a gang of similarly sickening Hufflesluts.

"It's like Jekyll and Hyde right?" James noticed me looking at Jess and I smiled, embarrassed. Jess turned from her potion to face us.

"That's not very nice James." She joked, avoiding eye contact with me. I don't blame her; I was looking firmly at the floor.

"Yeah whatever, what are you up to?" He asked, peering at her open books and the contents of her cauldron.

"Skele-Grow." She replied shrugging, "It's not in the requirements but my parents haven't sent me any new ingredients yet so I just used what I had . . ." I frowned in confusion, why would Jess Guetting need to brew Skele-Grow? But then I remembered the conversation I'd had with James when they first started patrolling, Jess wanted to be a Healer when she left and she needed to seriously study hard to get her grades. I allowed myself to feel a little impressed by her.

"Sounds good." James tried to grin but it sort of slid off his face and turned into a grimace.

"What's the matter?" She asked sliding back round to check her potion.

"Um . . ."

"Just spit it out James, you know I don't like the whole suspense thing."

"Lily and Amos have fallen out and Lily needs to patrol with me again." James bit his lip after he'd told her and there was a long pause before Jess spoke with an amused tone.

"You mean, you want to patrol with Lily?" James blushed and his hand went to his hair.

"Well, yeah but I have really enjoyed patrolling with you- we've had some fun times right? And it's only if it's ok with you, I don't want you to feel like-"

"James, shut up." She gave him a peculiar look and for a moment I thought she wasn't going to let him go and ruin everything. It wouldn't be the first time one of those Hufflepuffs had gotten in the way of something good. "You patrol with Lily and I'll patrol with Diggory." James leapt off the table in exultation, I laughed at his reaction and that small smile crept back onto Jess' face.

"Thank you!" She was wrapped in one of James' fearsome hugs and they both gasped as he nearly knocked over her potion. He stepped back sheepishly. "Is there any way I can pay you back for keeping me relatively sane on the patrols?"

"Hmm," She paused, thinking. "Yes actually, I need some help with my transfiguration otherwise I think McGonagall is going to kick me out of the class and I need transfiguration . . ."

"Of course I'll help!" James grinned brightly. Well, I suppose they both got what they wanted. I wish James would teach me transfiguration, last time I asked he gave me a funny look and told me to go ask Remus because he was busy . . . doing apparently nothing. Jess grinned back.

"Great! We'll arrange a date and time later, 'cos you'd better get back to Lily."

"Great, awesome, wicked . . . right!"

"Bye James . . ."

"Right . . ." I gave her an apologetic look as I dragged my brother, who seemed lost in thought, back out of the door. She half-smiled back. It was strange.

James and Lily left for patrol in an awkward silence, they'll work something out – they always do.

**10:30pm**

I have actually received a letter. From my parents.

Yeah, I was shocked too.

_Billie, _

_Your Mother and I have sent you some money, please buy Sirius something nice for his birthday. _

_Dad. _

Brilliant right? Personally I feel that if they had gone into any more detail Dumbledore would have had to have the letter made into a book so it could be archived in the school library for the Ravenclaws to frown over. (Let's be honest, that's all they do: frown over books.) No 'how are you?', 'how's school?', 'Don't worry, I haven't been killed on these secret _missions_ that I'm not allowed to tell you about yet'. I really don't know who they think they're writing to. Lily and Remus get a letter from there parents at least once a week, sometimes everyday and I _know _that they write to James regularly enough when they're not working. How hard can it be? _Buy Sirius something nice for his birthday, _well no! I'm going to buy him the first thing I see in Hogsmede and hope he likes it and it's not green. Merlin! What is wrong with them?

Inside the letter was fifty galleons, exactly the amount I had saved up in my hippogriff bank. Coincidence? I think not. I'm not writing back. Not a chance. No.

**12:00am**

I know what I'm going to get Sirius! Thank Merlin I didn't send Ethelbert home yet, however much that bird hates me. I have a job for it. Man, that stupid canine is going to LOVE this!

**17****th**** Nov**

**- NO. **

**3:00pm**

Just got back from Hogsmede! I bought Sirius' present! Well, I paid the 'deposit' for Sirius' present. I still owe Kingsley 30 galleons, not sure when I'm going to get those to him. DAMN! I'm more excited about this then Sirius is at the moment! Probably because he doesn't know what he's getting but you know . . .

We abandoned Sirius in his detention with McGonagall at eleven and headed down to the village with the rest of the school. Laughing at the looks of excitement on the third year's faces, I felt vaguely glad that I didn't need to go into Honeydukes or Zonkos today. The few brave kids that dare go into the Hogs Head get kicked out by Aberforth pretty quickly, you've got to love Aberforth . . . with or without his creepy goat fetish. Hogsmede was freezing today, there seemed to be a cold wind blowing in your face whichever way you turned. Thankfully I had worn my Gryffindor scarf. Lily made me before she went trotting off with Dickory even though I don't even know why they're still together after that argument. I just hoped the bright red wool wouldn't stop the Ravenclaw Kingsley from giving me a good deal!

I made my excuses to depart from the others' company when we reached the Three Broomsticks. James looked extremely suspicious and demanded to know where I was going and who I was going to meet and what time I was going to be back and if I was going to let him know if I had reached my destination safely and if I wanted him to teach me any defensive moves if I got into a spot of bother. I told him to let me leave that instant or I'd put him in a 'spot of bother'. I swear only James uses that phrase nowadays . . . I didn't tell them where is was off anyway, if James had of known I was going to the Hogs Head he would've called in a blooming auror escort!

Kingsley Shacklebolt was already waiting for me when I stepped into the slight warmth of the Pub. I flashed Aberforth a smile to which he nodded stiffly and made my way over to the fireside where Kingsley was sat, unwinding my scarf and giving myself a wide berth from the suspicious group of hooded men dotted around various tables as I walked. Kingsley looked exactly as I remembered from two years ago when he was in his final year and I was a poxy fifth year. His ever growing bald patch of dark skin seemed to glow in the fire light. I laughed at his choice of royal blue robes, I wonder if I'll still be wearing red in two years time just to prove that I was a true Gryffindor. I noticed a shiny gold earring hanging from one ear, which was new in the least.

"Cold out?" He greeted me with a secretive smile and his deep voice. It reminded me of all the times I had hounded him for homework help and reluctantly he had taken time out of his no doubt busy social life to sit through an hour of me rambling on about how I didn't get potions. He loved it really.

"Freezing!" I sat down in the chair opposite and inched closer to the fire, trying to absorb the tiny bit of warmth it decided to share with the room. "How am I finding you? It's been ages!" Kingsley laughed and pushed a dirty mug of butterbeer towards me – what a gentleman.

"Very well thank you, I've finally managed to get myself into the auror programme because it's so full of applicants at the moment." I frowned, that was news to me, in the past the Ministry has had to fight to get people into the job and now they're sending people away?

"Really? I wouldn't have thought."

"Yeah, you wouldn't would you? Seriously though, it's tough at the moment – you need to be trying to get Os in pretty much everything if you want the auror department to even spare you a glance at the moment. Not that you'd have that problem, all the fancy wandwork you and the rest of 'The Marauders' get up to in your spare time. I remember that time . . ." He trailed off and laughed to himself. "How is school treating you these days anyway?" He took a drink of his butterbeer and, feeling obligated, I gingerly took a sip of mine.

"Well, there's not much time for fancy wandwork at the moment." I admitted. "With all the work they give us and the hundreds of quidditch practices and everyone falling out and making up and breaking up – I'm exhausted!" Kingsley laughed again and one of the hooded fellas hissed at him. Sorry my friend but it's a free country.

"Let me guess . . . You and Sirius or James and Lily."

" . . . Yeeesss. James and Lily this week though."

"You know, you'd have thought that Lily would have realised that she actually doesn't hate him as much as she thinks she does and just said yes by now." He grinned.

"James stopped asking, besides, she's dating Amos Diggory at the moment." Kingsley actually did a double take; Lily really has let her standards drop.

"What? Wait, I don't want to know." He grimaced. Deciding that I must have already swallowed the worst of the germs from inside my mug already, I took a long drink.

"Business?" I asked, sneakily glancing at my watch and seeing that I didn't have too long before James sent a search party out. Yes, he really is that pathetic.

"Before James sends out a rescue party?" Kingsley smirked. Damn those Ravenclaws! You can't get anything past them!

"Please!" I blushed. Kingsley pulled a picture out of his pocket and I couldn't help but smile.

"What do you think?" He asked, passing the picture over and letting me study it for a while. "It's missing parts of the engine but you said you wanted it as a project for him anyway?" I nodded. This picture was of an old motorbike. Dusty and black in colour, it was leant up against the side of a garage and I noticed several gaps in the engine and that the back tire was completely flat.

"Why are you getting rid of her?" I asked, passing the picture back.

"I don't use her anymore, I don't need to. And some money would be nice." I laughed a little nervously because surely if he needed the money then he was going to be selling her for a lot?

"Dare I ask how much money you're selling her for?"

"Well it depends on how much you're willing to buy her for . . . I've had offers, but I don't particularly like the people who want her. I'd much rather sell her to you and Sirius because I know he'll take good care of her." He smiled encouragingly. It didn't really make me feel better.

"I have fifty galleons- but I can get you the rest in the Christmas holidays, call it a deposit." I spoke quickly, nervously. Kingsley thought for a second, before taking a drink and announcing:

"Okay." I sat shocked for a few seconds before a huge grin spread on my face.

"Really?"

"Sure, are you certain you want her?" Both our gazes fell to the picture of the run down motorbike. True, she isn't in the best condition, and it was probably going to take ages for Sirius to fix her up but it was perfect and there was no way I could miss out on buying it.

"Are you sure you want to sell her?"

Kingsley's lips quirked into a small smirk. He never did answer that question.

We agreed that I would give him the fifty galleons in my pocket and send over another fifty at the start of the Christmas holidays. He is going to bring the bike up to the school gates on Thursday at eight. I assured him I wouldn't have a problem sneaking out to get her because I am a Marauder and that's what we do. To be honest, I was surprised Kingsley was agreeing to all this rule breaking although it's nice to see that the previous Head Boy has found _fun. _There's hope for James yet! We chatted for a while after; I told him about Professor J and was surprised to find that Kingsley already knew him from the auror training even though I knew that sir was half way through his training. He didn't seem surprised that sir was such a good teacher, apparently he's a really nice guy and good at his other job too.

After we had downed the dregs of our butterbeer (and whatever that nasty black thing was at the bottom of my mug) I said my good byes and thank you-s and made my way back out into the cold November wind. I found James, Remus and Peter in Honeydukes, arguing over sweets. I made James buy me some chocolate and stole one of his acid pops ("Hey! That was for Sirius!"). He wasn't best pleased and he was very, very nosy!

"Where have you been then?" He asked as we joined the slowly dwindling queue. Remus, who had bagged a place in front of us, turned to listen in. I shrugged.

"Looking for a present?"

"You don't sound very sure." He raised his eyebrows at me and I felt the urge to tell him to go mind his own Merlin-damned business! I contained the urge though, he was buying me chocolate.

"I am sure. I've been buying Sirius a present." His eyebrows rose even further.

"Where is it then?" His smirk grew when I faltered.

"In my pocket, actually." I wasn't _really _lying, in my back pocket was the picture of the motorbike. That's 50 galleons worth of picture. James' smirk grew.

"It's not a very large present then is it?" I was about to retort with something angry when Remus chuckled.

"It's got to be better than the socks you bought him!" James blushed and we laughed at him. Thank you Remus! "What did you get him Billie?" He asked and I froze. Something deep inside made me not want to tell any of them what I had just bought, it was an inner panic and for a moment I felt my insides do a little leaping. Quickly, I smiled so he didn't notice my hesitation.

"It's a surprise." Remus sighed and James looked like somebody had just taken his broom off him for no reason.

"What that's not fair!" He cried, "I want to know and I'm buying you chocolate!"

"Oh James, get over it." Moony shut him up, rubbing his temples as if he was getting a headache. He probably was with the tumultuous chatter of the third year that were _still _hanging around and with me and James squabbling. I love Remus sometimes, James shut up AND I got my chocolate!

**9:00pm**

"_Tell me!" _

"_No."_

"_Tell mee!"_

"_No!" _

"_TELL ME!" _

"_NO!"_

"_WHY?"_

"_Because! It's a surprise!" _

"_I don't like surprises!" _

"_I'll get my money back then shall I?" _

_-Silence-_

"_Tell me, please?" _

"_NO!" _

"_Billie!"_

"_What?"_

"_TELL ME!" _

"_No." _

"_Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me-" _

This is pretty much how it's been for the last half an hour. Sirius has been my irritating shadow, asking and asking. I may just kill him.

"SIRIUS FOR MERLIN'S SAKE SHUT UP!"

That is unless Lily doesn't kill him first. Oh, wait . . . where is he taking me now-?

Brilliant. Up to the Boy's Dorm where he can poke and irk and bother me to his heart's content without anyone telling him off for it.

"_Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!" _

I'm close to boiling point and he knows it. Merlin, Sirius LEAVE ME ALONE.

"_Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me-"_

Why doesn't counting down from ten ever work when you need it to?

"_Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me- OW! MERLIN'S BALLS BILLIE!" _

Oh yes Sirius. Feel the power of the nip.

* * *

A/N: Review?  
I'm having trouble writing the next chapter, we're bringing in some new characters and I just can't do it! Only reviews can save me now . . . .


	41. Emily

**A/N: **Hi!

I shall start this a/n with an apology, again. It's taken me ages to write and upload this chapter and I feel quite guilty as all the reviews I got on the last chapter wanted me to update quickly and I really haven't! This chapter has been a real _pain _to write. I rewritten it twice and gone over other sections more times than that - it just doesn't seem to want to flow the way I want it too and I feel that it's just pretty naff. I'm really not good at promoting my new chapters am I? ;)

I went to see the new Harry Potter film the other day **[SPOILERS FROM NOW] **and I literally cried the whole way through, the cinema went quiet and all you could hear was me sobbing (and the girls behind me talking and kicking my chair . . . but I won't mention _that_). I wasn't impressed at the way they did the ending of the film though, the last stand, because it was nothing like in the book and to me that was about as close to perfection as it could have gotten. But yes, it was a very good last film and now I have sunk down into the deep black hole of PPD, I just loathe to think that maybe in three years time no one will be talking about Harry Potter, people might stop buying the books and it may slowly lose it's appeal to new, younger audiences. We need to keep the magic alive people! Thank Merlin for . **[END SPOILERS] **

Many thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter, and put me on alert and stuff. It means so much and now I'm on my Summer Holidays (WOOP!) I will do my best to write everyday and actually make some progress with the story! :) This was beta'd by **Mercy'sFoundaWayForMe **although I have tampered with it since so any and all mistakes are mine!

I hated writing this chapter, but hopefully you'll like it!

* * *

**21****st**** Nov**

**Emily**

**5:00pm**

_Can you dance like a__hippogriff?_  
_Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma!_  
_Flyin' off from a cliff?_  
_Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma!_  
_Swooping down to the ground,_  
_Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma!_  
_Wheel around and around and around and around!_  
_Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma!_

Those lyrics! They've been in my head ALL afternoon because I decided to skip lunch and do some work instead. Of course I work best with music, hence the Weird Sisters' song lodged so deeply into my skull I think I might cry. I just can't stop humming it, or whistling or singing it and not only is it driving me insane, I think it's irritating other people too. For instance, there's no way Lily would choose Dickory's company over mine if I wasn't humming, right?

Lily hurried away around three-ish and left me feeling bored and . . . well, bored. Then I remembered that I had amazingly crazy family/might-as-well-be-family members sitting in the Common Room who would no doubt be doing something fun and interesting, so I decided to go join them. It would be just my luck, wouldn't it, that when I went bounding over to their table, James, Sirius and Pete (I didn't know where Remus was at the time) told me to go away because they were having 'man-talks'. Really? None of them are of age _yet _and James' face is as smooth as a baby's arse. Men? Not a chance. If it wasn't for the look on Padfoot's face I wouldn't have left, he was staring at me like I was some kind of foreign creature and it creeped me out. He's been especially nice since he found out we'd all bought his presents but James was obviously trying to explain something important. I didn't like it, so I took my leave to find Moony.

I found myself giggling in between the involuntary hums coming out of my mouth because in between the verses of _Can You Dance Like A Hippogriff? _Lines from a muggle book Dad used to read kept popping in my head but instead of a bear it was: I'm going on a Moony hunt, I'm gonna catch a big one . . . I'm not scared! That was a little bit of a lie though, when I found myself at the library doors after avoiding them for as long as I possibly could. I was feeling extremely scared.

Emmeline came and stood next to me for a few seconds as I was stood staring into the library (humming) with no doubt a look of pure horror on my face.

"You can come in you know?" She told me, and I let out a snort. Of course, I knew that! I just, didn't want the books to get me. I have burned their kinsmen in the past. Emmeline gave me one long, amused look before patting me on the shoulder and heading through the doors and out of sight. I was left to gather my Gryffindor courage and cross through to the dark side myself.

And the dark side it was! Really! You'd think that the library would only be dark on a night time, which, to be fair, is the only time I've ever been in here, but no! Unless you are fortunate enough to be sat at one of the tables which are directly by the windows, you get swallowed up in the gloom. No wonder Pincey wear such thick lenses and cringes whenever someone relights a candle in the Great Hall.

I wandered around the library for ages, trying to keep the humming to a quiet minimum in case the Ravenclaw first years heard me making noise and decided to attack me with their vocabulary. On my journey I saw three couples making out (unfortunately not Lily and Dickory, I would have loved an excuse to hex him), only four Gryffindors, one Severus Snape (If looks could kill.), two loose floor boards and 63 bookshelves but no Remus! I was really quite tempted to leave and go see Madam Pomfrey to see if she could give me something to stop the dratted humming but as I turned to leave someone called my name.

"Billie?" It wasn't a voice I recognised and it definitely wasn't Remus' voice, but it was my name so I spun around and found myself facing a small table piled with books and three Ravenclaws. There were two girls and a boy. I could tell which girl had called my name by the pleasant look on her face.

"Yeeeaaahh?" I drew out my reply, eyeing the group a little suspiciously. Since when did Ravenclaws call me by my first name? The girl coughed. From where I was stood I thought she was extremely tanned but when I looked closely I could she that she just had a huge dotting of freckles on her cheeks and that she was actually quite pale. She was wearing glasses and had rather nice curly hair (I admire curly hair seeing as mine refuses even to _wave_). The boy sat next to her was fixing me with a rather calculating but not unfriendly look, like he was waiting for me to do something. He was tall from what I could tell and had a long blonde fringe that hung over his eyes. I vaguely remembered seeing him, and the curly haired girl, in a few of my classes. I recognised the other girl's face almost immediately although I couldn't quite put my finger on where I knew her from. She had cropped dark hair (although when I knew her I think it was about as long as mine) but unlike me she was quite short. She definitely didn't look friendly.

"You, err, you looked lost?" The girl with the curly hair blushed. I bit my lip. I had been trying to look cool and unaffected by the masses of books that may or may not have been trying to molest me.

"I did?" I asked. Really, could the situation have been more awkward? The boy dropped his thoughtful look and snorted.

"You've walked past us six times now."

I blushed and the curly haired girl and the boy laughed at me lightly. The girl I recognised just kept glaring.

"Oh, sorry, I have to admit, I've never been here during daylight hours." _And even when I have been here I was in the restricted section looking up animagi _– I added mentally.

"Who were you looking for?" The curly one asked. She turned a rather interesting shade of red when I told her it was Moo-Remus that I was after. The black-haired girl broke off in her glaring to raise an eyebrow and give the curly one a smug look. "Shut up Jade!" The curly one half hissed. Jade's smirk grew even smugger as she turned her gaze back onto me.

"I didn't say anything." Her voice had a clear ring to it and she had a rather upper class accent, like she had been taught exactly how to speak. She threw me one last distasteful look and turned her attention to her essay.

"Yeah well don't!" The curly one had composed herself by now and turned to smile at me. Deciding that I felt more amused than confused, I grinned back.

"I've seen Moo-Remus." The boy said. I sighed, Ravenclaws don't miss _anything_! He grinned, quite attractively actually, "It's Ben by the way." I allowed myself to smile back and nodded. "And that's Emily." Emily lifted a hand and smiled.

"Ohhh," I realised, "You're _the _Emily – the one Remus patrols with?" She blushed and nodded and Ben and Jade shared a glance and smirked. "Unlucky." I joked and she laughed a little.

"No, he's really nice, you're lucky to have a friend in him . . ." Her eyes flicked to somewhere over my shoulder and I guessed that someone was there.

Sure enough, Moony was standing by the entrance to the aquatic plant shelves looking rather pleased with himself. I scowled at him.

"Don't look so pleased with yourself!"

"Who me?"

"No, the other Remus we were talking about."

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."

"At least I have a form of wit."

Our argument was halted as Emily and Ben started laughing, even Jade hid a smile and Remus wrinkled his nose in defeat.

"Thank you for looking after Billie for me," He addressed Emily and a pink tinge appeared on her cheeks. She so fancies him. "I understand she can be a bit of a handful sometimes."

"It was really nice meeting you." I ignored Remus and waved goodbye to the two Ravenclaws who actually seemed to be able to tolerate my presence. "Thanks for helping me find him, although I'm not sure if it was worth it in the end . . ." Remus smiled a goodbye and pushed me away.

"Just walk Billie."

I'm sure the last thing Emily, Jade and Ben would've heard was me arguing that:

"HEY! I crossed the library threshold for you!"

I told Remus about the 'man-talks' and he laughed, but took pity on me so we went for a walk around the lake before it got too dark. I asked him if he had any idea what they were talking about back in the common room and he said he knew, but it really wasn't his place to say and if I wanted to know then Sirius would have to grow the balls to tell me. I didn't know quite what he meant by that but he wouldn't say anything more despite my curiosity. Obviously Padfoot was going through some kind of 'tough time' although unless it's a . . . 'body' problem then I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to know what's going on! I'm a Marauder too! The conversation topic was changed quickly when Remus realised I was about to get in a mood.

"You met Emily then?" He smiled slightly at the mention of her name which is leading me to think that maybe the barely hidden feelings are mutual. I told him indeed, that I had met her, and that she seemed perfectly lovely, as did her friend Ben. There was a short pause before I continued.

"But Jade seems a bitch."

Remus laughed loudly and startled a few birds that were roosting on the roof of Hagrid's Hut.

"She is, believe me. I'm surprised you don't recognise her actually."

"She recognised me alright." I muttered but allowed him to elaborate.

"Sirius went out with her briefly last year, she obviously really liked him but he dumped her pretty quick and boy, she was maaaaad." That explained why I knew her but only vaguely, I do my best not to pay much attention to the girls that Sirius dates as they always end up disliking me anyway. "Unfortunately she's in the mindset that it was our fault and that we stole him away from her – I will never understand the way a girl's mind works."

"He doesn't do us any favours with his heart breaking ways." Remus laughed again and we stopped to admire the sunset on the lakes still surface. The reds and golds of the sky reflected into the water is definitely a relaxing sight and I was completely happy just to enjoy the stillness and the silence. Then I had a thought, something we hadn't planned yet regarding that mutt. "How are we celebrating on Friday?" Remus paused before answering, eyes focussed on something far out on the island in the centre of the lake. He turned his head slowly to face me.

"Well, he says he doesn't want a party, which is unlike him but . . ."

"But?" I was filled with the uncomfortable feeling that something was going on behind my back. Something flashed in Moony's eyes.

"Nothing-"

"Remus!"

"Look, it's not my place to say. Just please drop it." I pouted, the situation felt a bit unfair. Since when have I been so untrustworthy? Pete knows, and James knows so why can't I? "Please?" I still feel tempted to go and find Sirius and ask him what the hell all this is about but I know somehow, that I won't be able to be angry at him, or he'll make up an excuse. It's infuriating.

"Fine. But for the record, I think this is very unfair." Remus nodded thoughtfully as if deciding what to say before going back to the earlier subject.

"James thinks we should sneak out to the shack and have a little get together there, just us five." I laughed in spite of my annoyance.

"It's not really a 'get together' if it's just us, we're always together in various combinations."

"True, but we need to celebrate somehow and I think it'll be a lot more pleasant without the hoards of his fan club trying to attract his attention all night." I nodded vigorously.

"Definitely . . ." The conversation trailed off and I found myself staring out at the glass-like water. Watching the patterns of the ripples created by fish. When I glanced at Remus he was still staring out at that Island. Thoughts of the 'me-being-left-out-of-some-big-secret' flicked in and out of my head.

"It's not about me, is it?"

Remus didn't turn to look at me this time.

"What?"

"The secret."

"It's not really a secret . . . But no, I can't tell you." He shifted uncomfortably.

"So it is about me?"

"Not really, it's about Sirius."

I huffed loudly and a small smile spread across Moony's face.

"Hey Billie?" He almost whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You've stopped humming."

"I have-?"

"Yeah, what were you even humming?"

"Can you dance like a hippogriff?"

"No I can-"

"-Don't be sarcastic."

* * *

**22****nd**** Nov**

**On Your Bike! **

**11:00pm**

I have the bike! Seeing as it's Sirius' birthday tomorrow I haven't hidden it too far away, it's in the Shrieking Shack concealed in a cupboard where he won't think to look even if he does go for a snoop in the early hours of the morning regardless of the fact that he is _forbidden _to do so. I excused myself at dinner with the excuse I had bad headache and gave James a wink to let him know that I was doing secret things and that he shouldn't call St Mungos (or Lily) to come to my aid. Unfortunately, the wink almost ruined my plan.

"Excuse me!" Sirius poked me with his fork as I stood up to leave, "Where are you going?"

"To the Girls' Dorm, I have a headache, I just told you!" I decided to point to my head just in case he still couldn't see through the clarity of my excuse.

"I don't believe you." I rose his eyebrows up at me and scooped a few peas into his mouth.

". . . Sorry?"

"Let me feel your head." He stuck out his head to 'feel my head'.

"What? No! Sirius!"

"You don't have a temperature."

"Maybe so, but I have a headache."

"She doesn't have a temperature James!"

"No, she has a headache."

"But _everyone _knows that if you have a headache you have a temperature!"

I decided to change tack.

"Sirius, if you don't let me go right this instant I will not give you your present tomorrow." His eyes widened comically and he looked at Remus for confirmation. Moony nodded importantly. With an innocent smile Sirius turned back to me,

"Enjoy your trip. You can borrow my hoodie if you want, hope your headache gets better!"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed my bag.

"Lily!" I called down to the end of the table, aware that everyone turned to stare but wasn't bothered. She waved, a mouthful of tiramisu stopping her from replying. "I'm off back to the dorm, ok?" Already fully aware of my plan to go down to Hogsmede, she nodded enthusiastically. I turned to leave with a smile making sure I messed up James' hair on the way out.

Seeing as I had to go back up to the dorm to get the map, the cloak and my money anyway I thought I might as well take Sirius up on his offer and take his hoodie. It's just so warm and snugly, who could resist? Plus, for some reason, it smells really nice. It was already dark out when I met Kingsley outside the Hogs Head. I made sure I was a safe distance away before pulling the cloak off so he didn't have the shock of just seeing me appear, and so he didn't have the chance to rat on us.

"You're late!" Was his greeting. I checked my watch and felt guilty, it was Sirius' fault for just not letting me go and then offering me his hoodie and Kingsley looked chilled to the bone.

"Sorry! I got detained!"

"By a professor?" Kingsley's deep voice sounded as if he wouldn't be surprised if one of the teachers who loved him so dearly had caught me. Pah! He has far too much faith in their abilities!

"No, by Sirius."

"How helpful of him. You know I don't condone this reckless sort of rule breaking." He commented dryly and I grinned drawing a withering sigh out of my companion .

"Yes Mr Kingsley Sir!"

"She's just round the corner if you want to see?"

"Of course!"

He led me round the side of the building and sure enough, his baby was there propped up against the wall. Sleek and black in the moonlight. She looked much better than in the picture. "Wow!" I exclaimed and he shrugged. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked quietly, his attitude had changed since our last meeting and it worried me a little. Kingsley paused in thought, and then paced around for a bit before finally answering me:

"He is going to look after her, yes?"

"Most definitely."

"Ok, let's do this then." He looked mournfully at his (old) bike but accepted the money I pressed into his palm.

"I'm still ok to pay you the rest at Christmas?"

"Yes, of course." He smiled properly for the first time, "I can eat now!" I dared to laugh. "Well, have a good night Billie, and I hope Sirius has a good day tomorrow, I got this for him-" He handed me a card.

"-Thank you, you didn't have to!"

"It was no problem, trust me. Tell him to take my advice or suffer the consequences." I frowned in curiosity. "Don't ask, I can't tell you." I could make out mischief in his eyes. "Now get yourself back to Hogwarts before I feel the need to dock house points again!" I laughed and grabbed the handlebars of the bike, surprised at how light she was. "I mean it! Once a Head Boy, always a Head Boy!"

"Ugh," I groaned, "There is _no _hope for James then?" Kingsley laughed and shook his head before fixing me with a stern, prefectly look. "Ok! I'm going! Goodnight Kingsley! Thank you!"

I made sure I was out of sight again before covering myself and the bike and making a U-turn into the clearing that would take me to the Shrieking Shack. I have to admit, even though I know that it's just a house, there is definitely something funky about that place at night time. When you're on your own. And it's dark. Fortunately I was able to light some lamps in a room where I was trying to make the bike look more like a present and less like something I found on a scrap heap. I settled with tying some large bows on the tyres and a big red tag saying: _**Padfoot, Happy Manhood Day from your favourite and the most attractive Marauder xx. **_It'll be interesting to see what James has to say about that! And after wheeling it into that cupboard with a great deal of difficulty I made my way back through to the Castle grounds.

I decided not to bother with the invisibility cloak, I could see anyone coming on the map and the ghosts and portraits are far too accustomed to seeing me wandering the castle past curfew to find the will power to scold me or tell a Professor. In hindsight I'm glad I didn't, but that didn't stop me from panicking like crazy when I ran into Emily. Smack bang into Emily.

"ARGH!" She cried as we went tumbling to the floor. I landed on top of her in quite an ungraceful and awkward position.

"Sorrysorrysorry!" I leapt off the floor and extended a hand to pull her up, not realising it was covered in oil and grease. She frowned at it.

"What have you been doing?" I liked how she asked me what I had been doing rather than: "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING OUT PAST CURFEW? DETENTIONDETENTIONDETENTION!". I looked shamefully at my hands and chose to wipe them on my skirt rather than on Sirius' tasty smelling jumper. I slipped the map into my pocket. I glanced up and saw that she looked amused rather than angry.

"I suppose I could tell you . . ."

"I'm quite curious." She neither demanded the information nor declined it but she made me want to tell her anyhow. I grinned and she smiled back, I noticed she was quite pretty.

"You know it's Sirius' birthday tomorrow?"

She nodded. Without realising we had begun walking along the corridor in the direction of both our dorms.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"Fair point . . . Anyway, I bought him a motorbike!" Emily's mouth fell open and I waved my hands excitedly.

"Woah! That's amazing! I presume it's second hand?"

"Oh yeah, do you remember Kingsley Shacklebolt?" She blushed a bit and grinned.

"Of course, he was in my house, always used to complain about you lot breaking rules."

"Nothing's changed, trust me!"

Emily broke out into laughter at the image of Kingsley on a motorbike. I joined in with her, it was hard for me to picture at first too. While she was laughing I remarked in my head how strange it was to be walking the corridors with a Ravenclaw that I barely knew yesterday and talking like we've known each other for years. I definitely like her though. By the time we had gotten to the portrait of the Fat Lady Emily had managed to get me to tell her all about this motorbike, she said her dad used to ride before she was born and that she had always been interested in the old Harley Davidson in her garage. We talked about the things she and Remus had said about me on patrol – some of them quite insulting – and I apologised for the incident in the library. She apologised for Jade full stop. According to Emily, Jade doesn't like me because she thinks that Sirius broke up with her because of me or something, we both agreed it was stupid.

"She's my best friend and everything but sometimes she makes things so difficult for everyone!" I nodded whole heartedly, I know someone a bit like that. Cough, Lily, cough. "Well I'll see you around!" She said as the Fat Lady awoke and scowled at me.

"Sure!" We shared a smile before turning and walking in different directions. I was just about to say the password when I heard:

"Billie!" It was Emily from along the corridor with an amused look on her face. "Don't you go letting me catch you out past curfew again young lady or else I will be forced to give you hundreds of millions of detentions . . . Yeah!" I stood there and shook my head before laughing. "Shut up! Just because I'm a rubbish prefect!"

"I'm not complaining!"

"I bet you're not! Good night Billie!"

"Good night Emily!"

When I got back up to the dorm, prepared to harass Lily and have a shower, I found a large note hovering by Lily's bed. It read simply: Wake me up and die Billie. So I'm going to have my shower and go see if I can aggravate James instead and/or persuade Sirius to let me have his jumper, it really does smell delightful.

* * *

**A/N: **It's a certain Marauder's birthday next chapter . . . you know what to do if you want to read it quicker :)


	42. Happy Birthday Sirius!

A/N: HI!

Firstly, I want to say that I'm actually quite proud of myself for writing this length a chapter in the space of time that I've written it in! So please no one complain! I actually really like this chapter too, which must be a change after what you've read on the other ones!

Then, I obviously want to thank each one of you seven people that reviewed the last chapter, especially to the new reviewers - it's great to have you on board! Also, much love to my temporary beta: FezzesRCool25, she's done a fantastic job of betaing this chapter because I, am a typo FIEND. Honest.

I've actually been bothered to go through this chapter on here and set all the paragraphs as they are on my original document, because messes them up for me! So tell me what you prefer :)

Going to do a bit of self promotion here: Guys! I have a new One-Shot (which will be a two chaptered fic thanks to the guidance from my lovely reviewer _siriusblack4evaxX_) updated called Inhaler. It's got a lot of our lovely Padfoot in and a healthy dose of Prongs and the others too. No peter tough... It was just something that pooped into my head when I was walking my dog and I'd love to know whether I should keep writing all these little things that pop into my head, or whether i should leave well alone.

I also have a James-y drabble on my laptop called: Singing in the shower - just tell me if you want it :L

RIGHT! I'm actually quite nervous now, I REALLY hope I have done this justice and I **_NEED _**to know what you think on this one! You'll understand . . .

* * *

**23****rd**** Nov  
****Happy Birthday Sirius!**

**9****:00am**

_IT'S MY BIRTHDAY BITCHES! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY A MAN! – S_

Sirius, get out of my diary. – B

. . .

Good, he's gone! If you hadn't of guessed, it's one silly mutt's birthday today and he's rather excited about the whole affair. Really excited.

He made me stay with him last night, protesting that he wouldn't be able to sleep if I wasn't there because he'd get too excited. I was well aware of that fact that it was utter codswallop but he made the point around Lily and laughing, she told me to stay with him. What ever happened to her wanting me around, eh? Lily has bought Sirius a present actually! He persuaded her to let him open it last night so he could thank her for it properly. Personally, I thought it was really quite sweet, a set of bright red quills because she's said she's sick of him borrowing and breaking hers. They even shared an awkward hug and Sirius joked that Lily's present would be better than James'; he had already anticipated the socks.

However, I do not feel that Sirius' joy at finally being 17 excuses the fact that he woke us all up at 5:30am this morning to open his presents! Honestly, I don't know why we obliged him. Maybe all our carefully constructed walls against the puppy dog eyes aren't that strong at half _bloody _five in the morning or maybe we were just happy to see him so happy. It was one of those two.

"Didn't you get Sirius a present?" James asked as Remus cleared away the pieces of wrapping paper that Padfoot had managed to fling all over the floor. I grinned as Padfoot looked at me expectantly – he's so spoilt that boy.  
"Maybe." I was perched on Sirius' bed, in my pyjamas and that old quidditch hoodie of Sirius' that smells so good. Remus and Pete were also in their beds, the covers pulled up over their knees to keep them warm and James and Sirius, already both far too awake, were flapping about on the floor. At my comment Sirius pounced onto the bed and sat on me. "Oooof, Sirius gerroff!"  
"What do you mean _maybe_?"  
"By maybe I mean maybe, you'll have to wait and see!" I yawned hugely and Sirius raised his hand to cover my mouth.  
"Don't, Peter will fall asleep." I smirked and glanced over at Wormy who, indeed looked like he was fighting to focus his eyes. At the mention of his name he snapped upright.  
"Me? Sleep? Well, if you're not bothered Padfoot . . ." And with that he turned and flopped back into his pillows. Within a few seconds he was snoring. In turn, Remus and James fell back into their beds to steal a few more hours also. Sirius and I watched them for a while, grinning at what lightweights they all were.

Unhappy with the quiet, Padfoot started fidgeting. He ran his hands over the presents the other Marauders had got him, the socks from James, the chocolate from Peter and the Weird Sister's top from Remus which I really wish was in a smaller size, and turned to smile at me.  
"Seriously, you'll have to wait, your present's not even in the castle." I answered his unasked question, smiling in amusement as he pouted. "It's good though, you'll be able to spend a lot of time with it." _You won't have the choice not to_, I added mentally. In its present condition the motorbike isn't in that grand a state, not in Sirius' eyes anyway. Sirius poked me in my jumper-clad shoulder.  
"See, now I'm really curious! Can't we get dressed and you take me to it?" He gave me an innocent look, "Pleeeaaassseeee?"  
"No! Patience is a virtue, and you, my un-virtuous friend, need to get some!" Sirius held a hand to his heart in mock offence.  
"Well! If that's how it is I'll have to go find someone who appreciates my completely virtuous self!"  
"Pfft, good luck with that." I grinned and earned one in return. Padfoot's eyes fell to the jumper I was wearing.  
"Hey, that's my jumper!" To be fair, it was his jumper, until he leant me it last night and now I intend to keep it forever. I decided to play dumb, staring down at the garment like I'd never seen it before.  
"What? This? Are you sure because I'm pretty certain it's mine." I folded my arms as if to protect the hoodie from him. Sirius' eye brows rose up and he exhaled a laugh.  
"Positively certain, I believe I let you borrow it last night and now I would like it back . . ." He extended a hand as if I was actually going to take it off and give it to him. As if.  
"Really? Well, I'm sorry, the jumper has changed its allegiance, it's mine now." I nodded solemnly, stroking the inside of the cuffs as they extended past my hands. Sirius laughed properly this time, I looked around to see if my brother had woken up, Remus and Peter can sleep through anything. James snuffled and rolled over; if only he was as cute awake as he is when he's asleep.

"That's not possible, the jumper belongs to me."  
"Doesn't."  
"Billie, look how large it is on you!"  
"So? I like large hoodies."  
"You look like an idiot in it."  
"You don't need a hoodie to look like an idiot!" We both laughed, I was aware that my argument wasn't really a strong one but I really didn't want to let the jumper go.  
"My poor self esteem!" I laughed again, moving to lie on my back. Sirius, who turned to lean on one of the bed poles, watched me stretch out and shook his head. "Can I not have it back then?" The puppy dog eyes returned.  
"Stop it!" I warned.  
"Stop what?" He smirked briefly before bringing the eyes back with a vengeance, crawling up the bed so he was sitting level with my head. I pushed his head to the side, noticing he needed to shave, so I didn't give in.  
"Stop it with the eyes!" He made to bite my fingers so I pulled my hand away, rolling over onto my side and pulling the quilt up over my head. I was certain he wouldn't be able to get to me now. Unfortunately I didn't account for him joining me. I heard a low laugh as he slipped under the covers laid so he was right up against my back, mouth near my ear.  
"Can I have my hoodie back?" He barely whispered, but obviously I heard. His breath was far too warm and it tickled the back of my neck, I could have sworn he was smirking.  
". . . I'm cold." I lied easily, my own smirk in place. I was lying though, under the thick quilt Sirius insisted he have all year round and the hoodie I was close to being too hot. Suddenly cold hands were on my back and I cursed in shock.  
"Liar." Sirius chuckled into my hair and I abruptly moved away from him a little, we were lying far too close together anyway. Sirius looked a little shocked and I blushed with embarrassment.  
"Erm, yeah sure." I found myself standing up and hovering by the edge of the bed, feeling and no doubt looking rather awkward. Sirius smirked hugely, obviously coming to some wrong assumptions about my actions. He stretched out so his arms touched the wall and his feet touched the bottom of the bed. With a glance at the clock he spoke again.  
"It's nearly seven, you'd best go get ready if you want a shower and stuff . . ."  
"Huh? What?" We had finally woken James up, he scowled as we laughed and shoved his glasses on.  
"I'll meet you before we go to breakfast, ok?" I half-asked, almost out of the door already. Sirius nodded and I left before he could say anything else.

I wasn't too long getting ready. Lily had been a babe and got some fresh uniform out for me so I didn't have to run around like a headless hippogriff trying to find it amongst the other clothes I tend to just throw on floor.  
"Alright Billie?" She called from behind her hangings when I stepped out of the shower. I thought carefully before answering, deciding that I didn't want to reveal too much about what had just happened in the dorm and the fact that I freaked out because Sirius called me a liar, or because he was too close or something.  
"Dandy thanks, yourself?"  
"Not too bad. How's Sirius? Like a Bowtruckle on armortentia?" I laughed, vaguely glad she couldn't see me blush. Not that I knew why I was blushing.  
"Worse."  
"Unlucky, he's going to be a nightmare today for all the professors." Trust Lily to think about the teachers' welfare, I never do! Besides she wasn't completely correct with her fact there.  
"He's going to be a nightmare for everyone, you just watch!"

I met the other's down in the Common Room. Sirius was making all the girls blush as they wished him a happy birthday and he received several slaps on the back from the other Gryffindor lads. Only Martin and John actually stuck around for a proper conversation, but they too were heading down to breakfast by the time I got downstairs. Remus and I hovered around the back of the group walking down to the Great Hall – we spoke quietly about my meeting with Emily last night and laughed at James and Sirius' antics as they stopped everyone they saw until they wished Sirius a happy birthday.

"Happy birthday Mr Black!" The tiny professor Flitwick greeted as he scuttled past, "Now could you please stop harassing my Ravenclaw students?" With a loud laugh Sirius replied.  
"Thanks Professor, I'll do my best!" The talk of Ravenclaw students reminded me of the card in my bag from Kingsley which I still hadn't handed over. I was keen to find out what 'advice' Sirius had to follow, hopefully Kinsley wouldn't have mentioned the motorbike, as that would rather ruin the surprise. After a long search in my bag, which I never bother to clean out, I found the card and handed it over, unable not to smile at Sirius' woop of delight. He spent a while reading whatever essay Kinsley had written inside whilst batting James and I away as we tried to read over his shoulder. When he had finished he tucked the card into his robe pocket without saying anything.

"What's the matter?" I whispered, leaving Remus, Pete and James to their conversation about the quidditch game tomorrow (which we're playing in!) and catching up with Padfoot as he walked a little quicker. Apparently he had been thinking.  
"Nothing." He didn't look at me, staring straight ahead stonily and only breaking to smile at people who wished him a happy birthday as we passed.  
"Can I have a look at your card?" I grinned, unable not to, Sirius and his mood swings! I knew already that he wouldn't let me, though I did so desperately want to know what advice Kingsley has given him.  
"No." Still refusing to even spare me a glance, Sirius thrust his hand into his pocket to check that the card was still there.  
"Well," I began, feeling quite brave, "Kingsley says that you have to take his advice, or suffer the consequences." Padfoot looked at me this time, the curve of a smirk beginning to show on his lips. He didn't reply though. "Pecker up lad! It's your birthday and I can always just not give you your present if you're grumpy." I pushed him lightly and laughed as James filled the gap between us, an arm around each of our shoulders.

"How could you be in a bad mood after the amazing socks I gave you? I hope you're wearing them!"

**1:00pm  
**Lily cornered me after Care of Magical creatures which was after Transfiguration, which was after-

The boys all went up to the Great Hall to 'get some lunch' even though I knew full well and I think Lily did too, that the were actually going to play a prank on one unfortunate Slytherin. Probably Regulus. She obviously wanted to talk to me badly because she let them go with only a stern look.  
"Billie, are you ok?" She asked in a hushed tone, shooing Amos away as we returned back up to the school. I gulped.  
"Yes." My voice came out as a squeak, I didn't mean for it to, but there was no hiding that I was lying.  
"What's the matter? You've been really weird these last too lessons, really weird. I think James was about to call Madam Pomfrey at one stage!" I noticed she smiled a bit at the recollection. I didn't reply, making a fuss of returning my quill into my bag to avoid meeting her eyes. "You know you can tell me anything, if James has to go to hospital because his head's finally got too large . . . or, I don't know, if Peter is hooked on gillyweed . . ." I laughed and Lily smiled, it was more of a reaction than anyone else has been able to get out of me in the last two hours. Encouraged by my laughter she continued: "Or if Sirius has kissed you-" I stopped laughing immediately, forgetting to breathe which result in me choking. Lily's eyes widened until they were like big green quaffles. "Sirius kissed you?" I nodded dumbly unable to believe that I was nodding, that I was actually telling anyone about what had happened.

Sirius did kiss me, this morning, on the way to Transfiguration. Lily had joined us but Sirius had struck up a conversation with me at the back of the group, something about homework we hadn't done yet. A large grin lit up what I could see of his face as I was dragged into a broom cupboard. A BROOM CUPBOARD.  
"Sirius!" I hissed in shock. "If we're late McGonagall will kill us, birthday or not!" Suddenly, I was aware of how little space was in these cupboards, we were quite close. I began to feel the same uncomfortable feeling as I did before breakfast: we were too close, far too close. And Sirius was still grinning.  
"It's my birthday." He whispered.  
"Are you going insane-?"  
"I was just wondering," If I thought he was too close before he was definitely pushing it now. "If I was entitled to," I knew what was coming and I shook my head in disbelief, Sirius looked like he wanted to laugh. "A birthday kiss?" Even though I knew it was coming, I was a little shocked. I mean for starters, why would Sirius want to kiss me when there's a whole fan club dedicated to him, full of teenage girls who would happily kiss him . . . and more? And what the hell would James say if he knew about this? He nearly killed Gideon in fifth year when he found out we were going out – and we were _going out_. This was just some random kiss in a broom cupboard . . . with my best friend? The majority of me wanted to tell him to get lost, go find someone else to kiss because it was just too weird, I'm proud to say. I don't think I want to analyse what the rest of me was thinking.

And then, and then Sirius kind of took the decision out of my hands. I remember vaguely wondering why he even asked in the first place . . . maybe he wouldn't have kissed me if I'd have run out shouting 'RAPE!'. After that I got . . . distracted. Sirius hadn't shaved this morning, by the way.

"Was it good?" Lily asked me, a little too enthusiastically with a large grin in place and a mischievous look in her eyes. I blushed furiously, even though I didn't want to! Let's be honest, it was always going to be a good kiss. Sirius has had a _lot _of experience in the field of kissing, a lot more than I probably ever will have so yeah, it was nice as far as kissing goes.  
"It was alright." I answered. Really though, it was a nice kiss but it wasn't anything earth shattering, I haven't been left needing more or else I might die. It was just a kiss, a birthday kiss and it didn't mean too much. I think. Lily looked slightly disappointed, possibly at my lack of enthusiasm.  
"So where do you go from now then?"  
I laughed out loud. "What do you mean? It was just a little kiss, Sirius kisses everyone!" Her smile grew more challenging.  
"But if it didn't mean anything serious – no pun intended – then why have you been in such a weird mood?" We were almost back at the castle now and I began to feel a lot less happy talking about this where anyone could hear. Because I couldn't answer the question, because I _don't know _why I my mood so affected by it when it really shouldn't have been (really.), I lied.  
"I guess I was just shocked." _I'm hoping this doesn't change anything. _I added mentally. Lily seemed mollified enough and she turned the conversation onto the match tomorrow. Whether I thought we were going to win (the game's again Slytherin so – "Yes.") and whether or not she should abandon Diggory for this game and go stand with Sirius, Remus and Pete, "Although I don't think Peter likes me that much . . ." (to which I answered "Obviously!" and "Don't worry about Wormt- Pete, he just wants James to himself."). She told me that if there was any foul play from me or James tomorrow she wouldn't talk to either of us, which is kind of stupid because most if not all of the foul play will come from the Slytherin side anyway, we'll just get told off for it. I'm hoping that Slytherin will put up a better fight than Ravenclaw did! I really don't want to have to put another team to the shame of losing to us 390-0 . . . Just kidding, that'd be great!

Anyway, I'm going to do some work now, because Sirius keeps smirking at me, thinking that I'm writing about him, which is not only off putting but _annoying_. And Professor Sprout might just kill me if she sees that I'm letting Sirius do all the work- sitting there with his stupid smirk on. I suppose he's happy because he kissed me or something. I hope he didn't tell James, not that he'd have much time to as most of their lunchtime seemed dedicated to transfiguring a great red moustache onto Regulus' face. I would feel sorry him . . . if he wasn't such a little- and it wasn't so Merlindamn funny!

Mind you, James seems rather smiley as well.  
I will kill that boy-man-dog-thing.  
Siriusly.  
Pun intended.

**11:00pm**

Just got back from Padfoot's little 'get together'. I know, it's only 11 and I haven't even drunk enough so that my writing wobbles, but we all have astronomy in an hour and we were informed, ever so kindly, by McGonagall that if we don't turn up then we'll be in huge trouble. There's that quidditch match that I'm completely not nervous about tomorrow too. _I mean why would I be nervous? It's not like the Slytherin beaters are huge and lethal!_ They are.

We set off to the Shack straight after dinner, the look on Sarah Freeth's face as Padfoot gave her a dirty look then informed her that he was spending the night with his real friends? Priceless. The look on Lily's as she resigned herself to a night of patrolling with Dickory? Not so priceless . . . Painful actually. As coincidence would have it, we bumped into Emily and her duo of Ravenclaw friends, Ben and the stone-faced Jade.  
"Remus!" she greeted with a huge smile.  
"Hi!" Moony grinned back, James coughed in amusement and shared a wink with Padfoot and Moony blushed. "I mean, hey, you ok?" Her smiled faltered a tiny bit and I made eye contact with Ben before breaking it in case I burst out laughing. The situation was just ridiculous. There was Emily and Remus stood in the middle of the group, both pink and awkward. James, Ben and I watching them and trying to conceal our amusement and then there was Jade and Sirius giving each other icy glares. Peter just hovered next to Sirius, looking rather alarmed at the glares as he was sort of caught in the crossfire. I gestured for him to come over to me with a nod of my head and he happily obliged.  
"Yeah, thanks- although I'm a little annoyed you're abandoning me to patrol with Jess Guetting tonight!" Despite her words, Emily didn't sound like she was annoyed at all. She sounded like she could never, ever be annoyed at Remus.  
"Eurgh." The sound slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. All seven pairs of eyes turned to look at me, some amused, a few shocked and one filled with anger. I clasped my hand over my mouth. "Sorry!" I was relieved when Ben started roaring with laughter, shortly followed by Emily and Sirius. Even Pete gave a tentative guffaw. James looked a little disgruntled. I ignored Jade. "Why don't you patrol with Lily? She erm, didn't seem to er, be _thrilled _about the prospect of spending the night with Dickory- Diggory!"  
"Amos Diggory." Sirius corrected me, he and the other Marauders looking like they wanted to laugh.  
"That's what she said . . ." Emily grinned too and I wondered if it were possible to have a lovelier person? Remus needs to ask her out. "I might just do that, I like Lily."  
"So does James." Remus quipped before turning around and looking at James in mock surprise, as if he didn't know he'd been there. "Oh! Hi James!"  
"Oh! Oh, _bye _Remus!" James started to move past him, poking him in the ribs and ruffling his hair as he did so. "C'mon guys, why don't we let Remus . . . catch us up . . . ?" His voice was heavy with implication and it was worth playing along just to watch Moony squirm.  
"Happy birthday Sirius!" Emily called and Sirius spun round to give her a dazzling smile.  
"Why thank you! Off to celebrate in style!" I laughed and Remus shook his head as my poor, idiot brother ran forward to strike a rather camp pose with one hand on his hip and the other in the air. Ben seemed torn between laughing and being embarrassed for him. Sirius pushed James further towards the end of the corridor and Ben decided to give in and laugh.  
"Happy birthday."  
Jade only glared at us all.  
"Charming as always . . ." Sirius muttered to me and I shook my head, sighing.  
"We'll be seeing you in a jiffy Master Lupin." James gave Remus a wink despite his glare. "Don't you be getting yourself into a bother while we're not around." James waggled his finger, they way some intruding old woman would. Emily glanced at Remus and her lips quirked at the sight of his clenched fists and the furious set of his jaw. After waggling his eyebrows a bit James got the hint and we took off.  
"He is going to KILL you." Wormy observed, much to my amusement.

Remus actually took his time before he came back to join us. Sirius had buggered off to Hogsmeade to see if Rosmerta would serve him now that he's 17, leaving us celebrating his birthday without him! James jumped out of his skin as Remus stormed into the shack's bedroom with reddened cheeks that I presume were not just caused by the bitter cold outside.  
"YOU! And- Where's Sirius?" Remus lost track of his rant as he looked around for Padfoot, then James said the wrong thing.  
"You're looking rather, er, _flustered _Moony." Remus' head sort of twisted towards him, eyes manic and hair stood on end. We all gulped loudly.  
"Why? Why did you have to do that?" Remus flung his hands into his mousy hair and pulled. Sirius crept in behind him, a bottle of firewhiskey and a crate of butterbeer in tow. He paused when he saw Remus. "You're so . . . EMBARRASSING!"  
"Sorry Remus." James mumbled, head hanging low in a picture of remorse. I knew it was just to hide his smile. I jumped up to help myself to a bottle of butterbeer. Sirius gave me a secretive smile and I just rolled my eyes at him, how was I supposed to forget about him practically molesting me in a broom cupboard if he kept smiling at me like that? Or worse, _smirking.  
_"Remus, dearest." Sirius uncorked the bottle of firewhiskey with a loud pop. "Ask that girl out." His statement was met with a round of applause from the rest of us. Remus opened his mouth to protest but Sirius place a finger on his lips (I did not at that point start thinking about Sirius' lips because that would be highly inappropriate.) "Shush! Just do it. Trust me."  
"Where'd you get the whiskey?" Peter asked as the bottle was passed round for everyone to have a swig.  
"Rosmerta." Sirius said the name with raised eyebrows and he gave me a rather pronounced smirk. I don't know why, maybe I'm supposed to be jealous because he molested me in a broom cupboard and then proceeded to flirt with a woman twice his age. When the bottle came round James and I declined and Sirius pouted.  
"We have a game tomorrow, we can't drink!" James explained.  
"Plus, can the Head Boy really turn up to a lesson drunk?" I asked rhetorically but the boys laughed.  
"It's happened before . . ." I decided I didn't want to know.

We sat in a loose circle on the floor for about ten minutes before Sirius remembered his present. Warming charms had been cast in abundance and although I was glad the chill seeping in from the broken windows could freeze us, it was almost too warm and I wished it was socially acceptable for me to take off my shirt like Sirius and James had.  
"Billie!" Sirius cried whilst I was midway through a conversation with James about the match tomorrow. I did not, at any point, suggest that the Slytherins were going to kill us, even though we'd beat them. "You haven't given me my present yet!"  
"No I haven't!" I jumped up, grinning. "Wait here!" and grabbing my cloak, because it was sure to be colder than a witch's tit on the landing, I hurried off to get the motorbike.

It was exactly where I left it, even though I nearly had a panic attack thinking it had gone, I was looking in the wrong cupboard. I fluffed up the big ribbon bow I had tied on and brushed off all the dust I could. My hand fell upon the oversized, red gift tag and I re-read my scrawl. _**Padfoot, Happy Manhood Day from your favourite and the most attractive Marauder xx. **_Without thinking, I pulled the tag sharply off the handlebars and shoved it into one of my inside pockets, where no-one would find it. I hate it, the fact that I feel it would have been too awkward for me to give him a gift tag which I wrote as a joke yesterday. I hate it.

Sirius' cry of delight when he saw the bike made me laugh out loud.  
"NO FREAKING WAY!" He shouted, leaping up off the bed and spilling some of the precious firewhiskey in his rush to get over to it. I was bowled over by his whopping bear hug and we found ourselves on the floor, Sirius sort of sat on me. He was ridiculously close for the third time today and I blushed furiously at the broom cupboard flashbacks I got.  
"I'm glad you like it!" I said, shoving him off playfully – as playfully as I could manage. James wandered over, flanked by the others to inspect my gift.  
"Merlin Billie! How did you get this?" There was a dollop of unconcealed jealousy in his voice. I tried not to feel too smug.  
"Kingsley, I met him in the Hog's Head last Saturday-"  
"The Hog's Head? Do you have any idea-?" My 14 minute older brother began to lecture me on the perils of going to the Hog's Head. There were many, I'm sure.  
"James! Shut up man!" Sirius intervened, running his fingers along the worn leather seat of his new bike. "Good things happen when Billie goes to the Hog's Head." James muttered on about Sirius being selfish, the whole place being germ infested and unsafe and something about rape, I'd stopped listening.  
"Well, I'm putting it out there that I am never riding on that thing." Remus looked at the bike with a wince. "Especially not if he's driving!" James cut over Sirius' protests.  
"I will ride on the bike with you, but my children definitely won't be." Sirius pouted, and I stroked his hair in a comforting fashion. It was safe to do that.  
"Never?"  
"Never."

There was a long pause in which James and Sirius stared at each other, James' eyes full of determination and Sirius' all innocent and cute- no, not cute. I slowly moved my hand off Sirius' hair and jumped out of my skin as Wormy cried.  
"GUYS! WE HAVE CAKE!" With a bit of impressive non verbal magic from Pete, the cake was brought floating into the room, candles already lit. We laughed when we saw it was in the shape of a huge paw print with the words, "_Happy 17__th__ Pads! WOOF!" _ iced on top. And suddenly Sirius was six years old again, instead of the ridiculous seventeen years old he's supposedly now. I don't like being younger than him, and no doubt he'll work it to his advantage! His eyes were wide and excited and his grin filled the entire shack when we started singing.

"_Happy birthday to youuuu_!"  
"Sirius!" James added in extra words to the end of the lines for comic effect.  
"_You were born in a zooooo_-"

"_You look like a monkey_!"  
"A freaking sexy monkey!"  
"_AAAAAANNNNNNNDDDDD you smell like one too_!"  
"Abigfreakingsmellysexymonkey!"

We all burst into fits of giggles and Sirius blew all his seventeen candles out, almost loosing his temper at the trick candle which kept relighting.  
"Well, we can all tell who's the most mature here." Sirius flexed his arm muscles in a bad attempt at looking manly. Remus choked on his butterbeer in laughter.  
"You? May I remind you that at lunchtime you transfigured a giant red moustache onto Regulus' upper lip?" Sirius shrugged.  
"It suits him."  
We now had the problem of trying to eat the cake without any plates.  
"Peter!" James scolded, "You forgot crockery!" Peter turned a pale pink colour.  
"Well, I was going to ask but they all looked busy so I daren't." Sirius laughed.  
"You daren't ask a House Elf for a few plates? Merlin knows why the sorting hat put you in Gryffindor."  
"Hey don't be mean." I hit Sirius on the arm after watching Pete blush embarrassedly. He gave me a small, grateful smile.

We ended up just slicing the cake with our wands and, though Remus complained, eating it straight out of our hands and dropping crumbs everywhere. The cake was delicious and we still have half leftover (post quidditch match cake, I'm thinking!). We wheeled Sirius' bike back into the cupboard and Sirius kissed her goodbye.  
"Never going to need a girlfriend now." He announced, smirking proudly. There came the collective sound of four pairs of eyes rolling. And then, unfortunately, we had to sneak back up into the castle so James and Remus could be seen finishing their patrols and so we were definitely back in time for astronomy.

I'm certain Sirius has had a good birthday, he told us plenty of times on the way back up to the castle, smirking at me again which I'm not happy about. At least he doesn't have an excuse to kiss me again until March and I'll be the one calling the shots then because it'll be my birthday! I need to talk to Lily or someone because surely the fact that I'm still thinking about this kiss is a little worrying, right? I don't know what I'm supposed to say if it comes up in conversation with Sirius! Although he'd have to be feeling pretty cocky to bring it up. In all honestly, I don't know why I'm worrying about this, I have an important match tomorrow, against a team who would happily see me dead. One that could determine our chances of representing England in the New Year! Plus I have homework due in that I haven't done . . . due in, in ten minutes? Five minutes?

Oops?

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**A/N:**How crazy was that? I think you should review and tell me, because I'm going to France next week with 13 family members. (THIRTEEN!) I need your reviews to help me stay alive!

Plus, if the thought of my suffering is not enough to inspire you, I found out that after the next chapter is updated, I will have written a fic that is the same length as Half Blood Prince. JK can't write without support and neither can I guys! (got onto Pottermore today - WELL HAPPY! Haven't got my email yet but I'm HazelStone154 in case any of you got in too! :) )

**Erm, so yes, please review as I won't have anything uploaded for a week but I'm going to have to write all my chapters and one shots by hand which is damn hard work for me! And go read Inhaler while you're at it! ;) **(I feel I can get away with being bossy because I'm going on holiday hehe) PLEEAAASSEE?


	43. Clean Break

**A/N: **Hey there guys,  
I know it's been a while but you can't hate me because I've written you a 7,500 word chapter and I'm about 1,000 words off completing the next one! Besides! My beta and I both needed holidays, however much of a mess mine turned out to be.

This chapter is very special though, because the last part of it was written in the beautiful country of France (though the drive there is death) and I really hope you enjoy it because I gave up precious time I could have been reading It with to write this :) (I'm just kidding, it took some of the boredom out of a 12 hour drive).

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who reviewed and put the story on alert, I'm not sure if I've replied to you all, my head's a bit of a mess because it's finally sunk in that the holidays are going to end soon and I feel the urge to jellify my brain for the next week or so before I have to overuse it again. The other day though, I noticed what a ridiculous amount of lurkers there are reading this story, it's insane and I really wish you guys would drop me a note! . . . hint, hint.

Again, wonderfully beta'd by **FezzesRCool25**, thank you Heinz! :)

P.S. If you got any GCSE/A level results back the other day I hope you got what you wanted!

* * *

**24****th**** Nov  
****Clean Break**

**10:00am  
**We've got a match today, as you know, and James says that I need to be in the changing rooms for one of his truly _inspirational_ pre-match talks in half an hour. Until about ten minutes ago I wasn't nervous at all, the boys and Lily did their best to distract my attention away from the Slytherin table during breakfast and even James lay off talking about tactics and gameplay while I was eating. I scanned the excited faces along the row of our table to find the rest of the team. Martin seemed to be doing a good job of looking after Peter whilst sharing jokes with Emmeline. John and Sammie were definitely _distracted. _

But yes, I was fine, not really nervous at all until Sirius and I were leaving breakfast, smiling falsely and accepting all the 'Good Luck's and laughing at the thing's I was told to 'do' to the Slytherin team. Sirius had said that he was determined to have the last of the bacon and begged me to stay with him, as the others had gone with James to 'inspect the pitch'. I don't know why I stayed really, I definitely didn't want to go out to the pitch in case I got too nervous – it definitely didn't have anything to do with the fact that we kissed yesterday and as of yet nothing has been said. Finally, when Sirius had swallowed his thirteenth slice of bacon (even though I told him that it would be bad luck for us!), we got up and left.  
"Nervous?" I was asked as we left the Hall.  
"Me? Hell no." I scoffed, but it even sounded false. Padfoot raised a perfect eyebrow at me and started laughing.  
"Sure about tha-?" But he was interrupted by a loud cough. We both looked up to see a group of Slytherins blocking the path, Regulus, his scarlet handlebar moustache firmly attached, was a face I recognised. Unable not to, I burst out laughing. It was just _so red_!

"Good isn't it?" Sirius half smirked to me but his eyes became hard as he surveyed his brother and his friends. I managed to control my laughter at the sight of one of the cronies. He was bloody tall, disgustingly well built and was wearing the dark green robes of the Slytherin quidditch team. I'm sure I looked anorexic in comparison. Now I think about it, he could kill me if he wanted to.  
"I'm aware that I didn't give you a present yesterday." Regulus spoke out, his voice an ugly imitation of my Padfoot's. No, not my. Padfoot's. _Padfoot _exhaled in disbelief and derision and Regulus' quidditch friend smiled in a lopsided way that revealed a few broken teeth. Feeling oh, so immature, I started giggling at the way the moustached twitched as he spoke.  
"I lived." Sirius bit back. I almost shivered at look of hatred in his eyes, I certainly wasn't laughing anymore. Regulus ignored his comment and continued.  
"I've got something rather special lined up for you during today's game." Regulus' almost colourless eyes flicked to me and Sirius visibly tensed. "You'd better watch your back, _Potter._" He spat out my name, and that threat, combined with the creepy, almost leering look, from the quidditch player, made me feel incredibly nervous. He is going to kill me. Everyone's eyes widened as Sirius stepped forward in anger until he was nose to nose with his 'brother'. I found it strange how two people could be so alike in looks, and yet so different. They share the same jawline, nose, and thick black hair, but Sirius' lightly tanned skin and stormy eyes give him emotion, make him _human. _Yet, Regulus' skin is a sickly pale and his eyes, though still grey, are watery. Let's just say, there is a reason that Sirius is popular with the girls and his sibling isn't . . . Not that I think Sirius is attractive. Or a good kisser.  
"You'd better watch yours." Sirius snarled, pulling out his wand and holding it to Regulus' face. The spark of panic ignited in those watery eyes caused the 'back-up' Slytherins to grab theirs too. Hastily, but not wanting to be caught duelling in case I couldn't play, I drew mine also. With a quick non-verbal spell, which left Regulus wondering what happened, Sirius pushed his now moustache-less brother away, grabbed my arm and, together, we marched through the group without even a glance back.

Sirius was silent and grumpy as we made our way along an empty corridor. Gingerly, because we were alone, I reached up to brush a bit of fluff out of his hair and I let my lucky-gloved hand rest on his shoulder in a comforting fashion. When his eye's snapped to mine, I could see a tumult of emotions swirling in the depths. I gave him a sympathetic smile and pulled him into a hug, his sigh whistled down my back.  
"Ignore him." I mumbled against his chest. Completely and utterly _not _thinking about the last time we were this close. And not blushing either! We parted and Sirius threw a hand to his hair.  
"I know, he just . . . reminds me of home." He shook his head sadly before turning and fixing me with a smile. "You don't worry about anything to do with the game though – not him, or that troll of a friend he's picked up." I gave him an appreciative smile despite the amphibians experiencing several Jelly Leg Jinxes in my stomach. They're still at it now! I wish someone would tell them that the counter-curse is just Unjellify, then I'd be fine.  
"I'm ok." I nodded, trying to convince myself more than him somehow. He grinned and threw an arm around my shoulder and I didn't notice how good he smelt.

Who am I kidding? He smells amazing. It's so stupid that I keep noticing all these things just because he kissed me and it's horrible that I know it's only going to get worse. I feel like I'm on a train to a horrible destination but I have no way of stopping it-

It's twenty-past! Wish me luck!

**1:00pm**

I have never been so unhappy or in pain.  
I can't even write, my hand writing is so bad with my left hand that I doubt I'll be able to read this entry again.  
We won the game. Of course we did. 190-30, but it was a terrible game, at least for me.

Sirius got his present from his brother. It came gift-wrapped in the form of a bludger, 34 minutes in, to my right arm and ribcage and holy Merlin it hurts like hell. I was just about to score my third goal using the new attack strategy with Stony and Sammie when the Slytherin troll, Parkinson 08, sent the bludger speeding straight my way. He was so close and everyone in the hospital wing after agreed that I would have to have been superhuman to have dodged that. The pain as that small black ball smashed into my ribs is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could feel my arm bone snap, closely followed by the cracking of my ribs and the loud cry I let out didn't seem to help at all. I vaguely noticed that the quaffle had slipped out of my hands and into Malfoy's.  
_**And it's Billie with the quaffle**__**, going for another goal . . . Merlin! Has she just been hit? **_Jubential's voice rang out into the stadium, laced with concern and anger.

I found myself rocking backwards and forwards, trying to support my arm whilst willing away tears of pain. The uproar in the stands was deafening, cheers and whistles from the Slytherins all but drowned out by the cries of outrage from the other three houses. It was nice to know so many people were on my side, I think it's just because we were against Slytherin though, not because of me. I thought it could hear Sirius cursing over the crowd, and Lily . . . ? James must have called a time out because suddenly the whole team were surrounding me:  
"Billie!"  
"Billie are you ok?"  
"What happened?"  
"Oh Merlin! I'm so sorry!"

Too many people were speaking at once. I cracked open my eyes to find James directly opposite me, looking me up and down like I was going to fall apart right in front of him.  
"Can you play?" He asked, not out of insensitivity, because we both knew that that was the best way to gauge how much damage had been done. I was tempted to shake my head, touch down and let them finish the game without me, let James play chaser too. But then the leather gloved hand of Emmeline's found mine, she squeezed it tight and gave me a look of such confidence and willpower that I knew that I couldn't just give up. Spitting out the blood that had gathered in my mouth from biting my lip too hard, I nodded and everyone almost laughed in shock.  
"You're crazy." Sammie told me, shaking her head, but looking proud nonetheless.  
"Are you sure?" My twin asked me and I nodded again, flinching at the pain it sent flaring down my body. Through gritted teeth I replied.  
"Just catch the damn snitch."

_**End of the time-out! It looks like Gryffindor are playing on, shit- damn! (Sorry Professor McGonagall! What-? No!) I meant wow everyone! WOW Billie Potter is brave, because that looks like broken ribs to me. **_I laughed despite myself at the commentary, if he gets fired though, I'm going to sue. Another loud roar came from the crowds. Sometimes I am fortunate that my brother is such a damn good seeker, as I only had to endure ten more minutes playing left handed and performing moves that I wouldn't normally dream of doing, least not hands free, to avoid the burly Slytherins determined to crash into my broken side. Plus, the late November weather was freezing me to the core. I was just about to give up when the eruption of cheers told me that James had finally done it. Instead of the usual big celebration and victory lap, James dropped the snitch and whizzed straight over too me.  
"Hospital wing, now." He demanded, and we flew straight over the exiting students, only dismounting at the castle doors, because Filch would have our skin if we were caught flying through the castle. Broom in one hand, and the other steadying me, James kicked open the doors of the Hospital like some kind of magical ninja.

"What do you mean you can't fix it?" I yelled in outrage after I had received the long lecture about how quidditch is too unsafe so it should be banned and only then did she tell me that she wasn't able to mend my bones straight away. James hand was immediately on my good shoulder, calming me down as the others hadn't got here yet.  
"Miss Potter, please calm down! I can fix it, of course I can fix it-"  
"-Fix it then!" I didn't mean to be so rude, but pain does certain things to you.  
"-But! There is a chance, with all healings, that the bones will not set properly if done by magic and it would be best if I merely guide the bones back into place and speed up the recovery rather than fix it completely by magic." I stared at her, gobsmacked. Magic was, failing me? I gave James an incredulous look and he patted my head lightly but sympathetically. The doors flung open again and a crowd of students ran in, the entire quidditch team, Lily, and the boys. Padfoot was leading the pack.

"Billie!"  
"No, no, no, NO!" Madame Pomfrey ordered, blocking the path to the bed I was laid on. "You cannot all be in here at once!" The quidditch team all bowed their heads, knowing that they'd be the ones that would have to leave.  
"Hope you're ok Billie!" Emmeline called out as they all turned to leave, brave, as Madame Pomfrey was glaring daggers at them.  
"Thank you!"  
"Billie!" Martin's head popped up over Remus' shoulder. "I'm so sorry! I-"  
"LEAVE!" Poppy sure doesn't like quidditch players.  
"WE LOVE YOU BILLIE!" Martin cried out as he ran out of the hospital wing dramatically. We burst out laughing and Pomfrey looked more than a little pissed. In fact, I doubt that she was even going to let the Marauders stay until _the _Remus J Lupin stepped forward and said:  
"Please, we'll be quiet and won't disturb you." Lily stepped beside him, nodding in a way that made her Head Girl badge flash in the winter sunlight.  
"Oh, fine! I'll go get you a pain potion Miss Potter." She half snapped, breaking under her soft spot for a certain smooth werewolf.

As soon as she had gone Remus dived in for a hug. (I noticed Sirius looked a little put out.).  
"Ow, ow, ow!" I moaned and Remus jumped away like I'd burned him. I laughed at his apologetic smile. "Just- just hug the head, ok?" Remus did as he was told, wrapping his arms around my neck.  
"Are you feeling better? You were so brave . . . and crazy!" He gabbled and I laughed again, mainly at Sirius' bored expression as he waited on one of the other hospital beds. "Sirius is going to kill that beater." He whispered and I wondered if he'd been on the mead.  
"And my brother." Sirius spoke out, looking at the ceiling as if no-one was interested in what he had to say. I ignored him, he had no right to be in a bad mood, I'm the one who can't be fixed! Lily shoved Remus away unceremoniously.  
"And I'm going to kill you!" She said, before enveloping me in a tight head-hug. When she pulled away, I noticed a wild look in her eyes. "What did you think you were doing, getting hurt and then doing all that rolly stuff on your broom," She gave me a quick demonstration, turning full circle whilst wafting her arms about. I found it quite insulting. "_WITHOUT HOLDING ON?" _ I heard James exhale a laugh over my shoulder. "You nearly gave us all a heart attack!"  
"I had complete faith in you Billie." James said quietly. Lily glared at him.  
"Me too!" Pete exclaimed, still looking rather excited by the whole thing.  
"Yeah well, you're an idiot Potter." She turned to Pete, "And you obviously have no sense at all." Both boys burst out laughing, probably because it's true.

"Too much noise!" Madame Pomfrey was back with a vial of something steamy. She addressed me, "Pick one, the rest have to leave." I immediately felt guilty, I'd feel so mean choosing one person, I was honestly going to pick James but then his hand was gone from my shoulder and he was walking round towards Lily and the others.  
"James?" I questioned and he smiled, reaching over slightly to grab my hand.  
"Best not provoke the beast, yes?" We both glanced towards Padfoot who stared right back. It wasn't fair, I didn't want him, he was grumpy! I nodded anyway though.  
"We'll see you later." James ruffled my hair on his way past, Peter and Remus smiled their goodbyes.  
"No parties." Lily pointed a finger at me, but was unable to keep the amusement out of her eyes.  
"Promise!" I told her and she laughed as she followed the boys out. Silently, Sirius walked over and took James' space next to me. He was wearing that red t-shirt and jeans and his skin was cold to the touch.

"If you didn't want me to stay you should have said." He murmured as I swallowed the vile potion in one and marvelled at how the pain in my side seemed to shrink until it was concentrated in one point. I shrugged, now able to do so.  
"I don't want you, you're grumpy and freezing." I grabbed his arm and placed it on my head, the heat from my forehead which was turning into a headache, dulled a little. Madame Pomfrey gave Sirius a dark look before bustling off again to get her spell book.  
"You always want me." I think he whispered. Whatever he said it was too low for me to hear and I ignored it, dropping his arm and jumping as cold fingers found their way into my hair. "You were so reckless today." I snorted.  
"Don't be hypocritical." The tone of my voice was a lot colder than I thought it would be. "I'm surprised you haven't already gone and hexed that Parkinson guy blue yet, and your brother! I wasn't playing because I wanted some kind of glory, I was playing because the team needed me to and because they trusted that I would be ok." Sirius stood up and I immediately wished I hadn't said anything. He looked quite mad.  
"Fine! I will, I'll go hex them both right now, I'm planning on doing it anyway. Not because I want any kind of glory, because I think they deserve it for what they've done to you." He turned on his heel but I reached out to grab the back of his t-shirt, wincing at the pain caused by the sudden movement.  
"Sirius." He didn't move. "Pads, please." Because despite the fact that things are getting awkward between us because of that kiss, and despite that he's grumpy and cold, I didn't want him to go; I didn't want him to fall out with me.  
"Billie, I- I'm trying to look out for you but you make it so hard. For all of us." He sat back down just as Madame Pomfrey came back, a musty book in hand and brandishing her wand. I didn't get chance to reply to Sirius before she told him to get off the bed and began to cast all these strange and painful spells on my ribs and arm. Padfoot watched with a quiet intensity.

"Miss Potter, you're going to have to take your top off so I can remove any bruises." I was told. Sirius started laughing his head off at the look my face took on.  
"What?"  
"Hurry up, I do have other patients you know!" Did this woman have any sense of decency? I didn't want to strip in front of Sirius! He kissed me!  
"But-?"  
"What's the matter Billie?" Sirius asked in mock concern, looking _far _too pleased with himself.  
"Couldn't you just, you know, write down the spell and Lily can do it later?" I tried to bargain but she was having none of it. "Make sure he looks away!" I tilted my head towards Sirius and Pomfrey nodded. I pulled off my large quidditch sweatshirt and realised with a grin that I was wearing a red vest underneath for warmth so I could just roll that up and there'd be no chance that Sirius would see anything other that my ribs. I looked down and gasped. The area surrounding the break was a deep purple and quite swollen.

"Merlin." I heard Sirius curse quietly.  
"Look away you!" I don't think he listened to me.

Pomfrey let me go a few minutes later, after attaching my arm in some cloth and telling me that if I even think about touching a broom she will personally ensure that the ribs on my other side were broken too. I think she was joking. I hope she was joking. She's scary. And with that she told me to return tomorrow or if I was in any more great pain, tonight. Sirius led me up to the common room, the whole time wishing we had the cloak so people would just leave me alone! Thankfully, Lily had stopped any parties and although everyone in the Common Room cheered as we walked through, I was allowed to go straight up to bed without much hassle. Sirius followed me up.  
"So you're-" He gestured up the stairs past the boys' dorm. I smiled and nodded. We were rather close again. "Not?" He gestured to the door behind him. I shook my head. He sighed. "Well, Good night I guess." He pulled me into a head hug but I wrapped my arms around his middle the best I could and his fell lower.  
"Sirius." My nose was buried in his t-shirt and I noticed how good he smelt again. "I'm sorry – for making things difficult sometimes." He barked a small laugh and pulled away, ruffling my hair.  
"So you should be." I rolled my eyes at him. "Goodnight Billie." He was smirking again.

I wish he'd stop.

**25****th**** Nov  
****Watch**

**12:30pm  
**Padfoot can be rather 'dense' sometimes. And stubborn, definitely stubborn, it's a well known fact amongst us Marauders that once Sirius has an idea brewing he won't let it drop until he's seen it through. For example, the idea that they all become animagi to make Remus' transformations easier – which, I admit, wasn't a _terrible _idea, it's worked out quite well. Even though it's illegal.

Actually, Sirius usually finds his illegal ideas to be his favourites. Today he is adamant on making his new motorbike fly.  
"But Padfoot! It's Il-lee-gal!" We'd been sat on his bed in the Boy's dorm since about 11 o'clock this morning after I refused to go down to breakfast, wishing to avoid the hoards of people that wanted to call me crazy, or brave, or something. ("How did you do it?" – "Because I'm badass, leave me alone!")  
The only people I've actually spoken to properly are the Marauders and Martin, when he came over to apologise because apparently he should have protected me from that bludger. I told him to stop feeling sorry for himself and which point he laughed and Sirius told me to stop feeling sorry for _myself _then. Git.

What was a sharp pain in my side and elbow has now dulled into a slow ache although I still get a stab of it if I move too quickly or twist at all. Padfoot hasn't been too bad really, even when all the others got annoyed with my snappy replies to their perfectly innocent questions and my general bad mood. I have to say, Professor McGonagall looked rather startled when she half-joked (I know, wonders will never cease), half threatened me with loss of house points if I "ever took such risks on a quidditch pitch again!" and I replied with a vacant "Ok.".

However, Sirius has been alright. So far he has laughed it off when I've been catty with him, told him to get lost and that I didn't want to talk to him.  
"Not ever?" He had pouted and everyone grinned with amusement. Everyone consisted of James, Lily and Pete. Remus had caught sight of the storm cloud hanging above my head and had dome a runner to the library. I felt a strange queasy feeling at Sirius' question and quickly responded with:  
"No." Followed by a rather nasty expletive that I'm sure Professor Jubential _would _have been fired for.  
"Billie!" Lily scolded and James gave me the look that Dad always gives us when (not if) we get into trouble. I realised that they'd make a formidable pair of parents. We had managed to squeeze round one of the circular tables in the common room, I was sat between Sirius and Pete, and on the other side of him James and Lily filled the gap. Lily had brought a large potions textbook down with her and she was doing her assigned essay, joined by James when he wasn't explaining his transfiguration notes to Pete. I was trying to do my charms essay but was slowly getting more and more irate at how my left hand refused to cooperate. Sirius was, of course, doing nothing and using his time to stare at me and raise his eyebrows mockingly whenever I turned to stare at him. That was what inspired me to tell him to get lost in the first place.

"Come on." Sirius said in reply to my curse, packing my parchment away and plucking my quill out of my hand.  
"I don't know why you look so amused!" I told Lily, who had giggled. "If I go then you're left with those too!" I gestured at my brother and Peter with a smug look. Lily just laughed again and I allowed Padfoot to pull me up the stairs, noticing the wicked grin he shared with James.

I was dragged into the Boys' Dorm and unceremoniously, I slumped down on Padfoot's bed. With a sharp jolt, I remembered the last time I'd been wearing the hoodie (Sirius' hoodie) in the Boy's dorm. Last night I removed the irksome piece of cloth Madame Pomfrey had strapped around my arm and middle. She's going to give me hell for it later but I couldn't sleep with it on . . . While I laid down, Sirius had started rummaging under his bed for something. His head reappeared with a triumphant grin and he dropped a few magazines on the bed before quickly snatching one back and stuffing it under his bed, turning the deepest shade of red I'd ever seen him go. I erupted into laughter.  
"Shut up Billie!" He hushed, then managed to sober me up completely, "And don't tell your brother, he thinks that Peter's stolen it!" I blanched and he must have realised what a distressing image that was for me and abruptly changed the subject. "So! My motorbike!"

He began by telling me that he knew exactly what parts he needed for the bike and showed me several circled bike parts. Sadly, by the time he had got to talking about handlebar grips I was loosing interest. Even if it was nice to see him looking animated. In the blink of an eye he had dropped the mag and had crawled up the bed so he was sprawled out next to me.  
"And," He began to whisper in a conspirator's tone. At that moment I did _not _notice that he smelt as good as he had yesterday or that we were as close as we had been on that morning of his birthday. We were too-close. Not that I noticed. "I'm going to make it fly." I rolled on to my side, my body deciding to gift me with a sharp stab of pain for my efforts, and saw Sirius grinning wolfishly. At least the talk about motorbikes distracted me from other thoughts about Sirius. And Broom Cupboards. His grin grew wider.

I decided to shut my eyes.

"You know that's illegal." I murmured, admiring the swirly patterns my brain cast onto the inside of my eyelids and managing to sound indifferent. Sirius let out an excited laugh that was almost . . . like a giggle? He must have realised because the sound was followed by a deep, manly cough.  
"No, it's not actually." I opened my eyes to give him a sceptical look. Somehow, I think he managed to get even closer when I had my eyes shut. "There's a loophole." He sounded rather smug and pronounced the 'p' with a rather smarmy pop. "It's illegal to fly it . . . but it's not illegal _to make it fly._"  
"Who told you this?" I asked, not really believing him.  
"Jubemaster." I almost laughed at the casual use of that old nickname. With a shudder I remembered mine . . . Ducky. Merlin! Thank kneazles Sirius has forgotten that one. "Saw him before the game yesterday, he was asking me about my birthday, definitely seemed to think that your present was better than James'." I resisted the temptation to reply with something snotty and instead asked.  
"And who told him?"  
"Dunno, this guy at the Ministry who deliberately made the loophole. One of Sir's mates – he said he was a bit of a nutter about muggle stuff." I cast my mind back to the night I had spent with Sir. That eccentric ginger fellow, who was dating Gideon's sister, had flooed, I vaguely wondered if it was him. Sirius obviously thought he had won that argument.  
"But you will fly it – and _that's _illegal."  
"I wouldn't get caught."  
I laughed for real this time.  
"Oh sure, because everyone in muggle England is so accustomed to seeing a man on a flying motorbike these days." Sirius sniffed.  
"I'll figure a way, you know I'm good at figuring illegal things-" In an instant he was Padfoot, as in 'man's best friend', and he had decided that now was the time to start molesting my face.  
"Ugh! Pads gerroff!" I protested, honestly trying not to blush. And just as quickly as he changed, Sirius, as in 'no-one's best friend', was back.

"I'm hungry! Wanna go see if the others have eaten yet?" I got up to follow him out.  
"You know it's quite disturbing that you came to that conclusion whilst licking my face."

Sirius burst out laughing.

**1:00pm**

We went to see Madame Pomfrey after lunch, all the others had already nearly finished by the time we got down to the Great Hall and were heading off to the library to find Remus and ruin his studying time (And for Lily to find Dickory, apparently he's not best pleased that Lily ditched him during the match yesterday). I decided that I'd go see if my arm was fixed yet.  
"Sirius, are you joining us?" Wormy asked as they were leaving.  
"Am I buggery, you're going to the library!"  
Pete gave Sirius a look which clearly said 'sorry for asking' and I hope Sirius felt a little guilty. James stood and fell on Pete's shoulder in mock grief.  
"Fine! Spend the whole day with Billie! It's not like I wanted to talk to you anyway!"  
"Don't worry dear, you'll have me all to yourself later." Sirius winked flirtatiously and my brother winked. Lily and I shared a partially exasperated glance before rolling our eyes.

"That didn't go too badly." Sirius said as we flew out of the Hospital Wing, voice tight as he tried to hold in his laughter.  
"We're so horrible!" Was all I replied before we both let our laughter loose.  
She'd considered murdering me when she found out I'd removed the bandages. She nearly sharpened her knife when I said that if she hadn't of wanted me to take them off then she should have done the knots tighter but I think the avada kedavra on the cake was when Sirius complained that I'd had to spend the night in pain because she didn't fix them straight away.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE?" She screamed at us. I already knew that my bones were fixed to a safe degree to play again so I just found this amusing. "IT COULD HAVE TAKEN MONTHS FOR THESE BONES TO FIX THEMSELVES IF I HADN'T OF-"

We got out of there eventually, finding ourselves ambling down the long marble corridors that would lead to the Common Room. As our laughter over Pomfrey fell quiet we slipped into a companionable silence. Sirius broke it.

"Hey Billie . . ." I really need to learn that when someone says: 'Hey Billie' it's not going to be a very pleasant conversation.  
"Mhm."  
"Erm, right." Sirius shoved his hand into his hair (no Broom Cupboard flashbacks there) in a nervous, James-esque fashion. "You know," He stopped as we walked past a huddle of Ravenclaws. A few of them bared their teeth (_smiled_) at Sirius but he didn't return the greetings. "You know my birthday?"  
"What?" I choked out, suddenly quite aware that my throat was closing up and I was blushing furiously. We were not having this conversation. No way!  
Sirius had the bloody audacity to smirk.  
"My birthday . . . you remember?" He gestured to a broom cupboard door. THE Broom Cupboard – the sneaky bastard – and I felt sick to the stomach.  
"I- What- No- Well, yes- No! Not having this conversation!" We had stopped in the middle of the corridor and he was countering incredulous stare with one of surprise (and hurt?) and a small amount of humour. Merlin, he found this funny.  
"Billie?" Now his voice was soft and low and for Merlin's sake! I was not having broom cupboard flashbacks!  
"No."  
"Billieeee." His lips, those lips, pushed out into a pout. "So you didn't enjoy it then?" It's safe to say I gaped like a fish for a few seconds.  
"What?"  
"Well?"  
"What? Y-! Wait- No!" I blushed madly again. "No!" Sirius arched an eyebrow and smirked.  
"You sure about that?"

In between my frequent blinks I could see he was stepping closer, reducing the safe distance between us.  
"Yes I am sure!" I retorted hotly, taking a step away, or two. "What- why are you even asking this _now_?" Now Sirius was the one flapping. We didn't notice the solo Hufflepuff fourth year (coughslutcough) heading past us. Sirius opened his mouth and then shut it again. I folded my arms.  
"Fine! Whatever! When I was licking your face earlier it reminded me that I wanted to- talk about the kiss!"

Well thank Wizard God that Hufflepuffs are as dumb as they come. She looked up at us in surprise and had obviously been trying to listen in to our conversation. Her eyes showed no other emotion other than a sickly eagerness for the gossip. Damn, if it got around the school that Sirius and I kissed, I think I'd die. Or transfer. Sirius didn't really help the situation much, he sort of stood there, slowly turning pink. So much for Sirius Black, smooth talker.

"Are they allowed to put that on the radio before the watershed?" I spoke loudly and the desire for dirty laundry in her eyes turned to disappointment. I knew I'd saved both our hides.  
"Well that's what I thought!" Sirius agreed, equally as loud. He flashed the girl a rather dazzling smile as she walked past and she would probably now forget everything she'd overheard. I'm honestly glad nobody has that kind of effect on me.

Once she was definitely out of earshot I turned to glare at Padfoot. He looked rather flushed.  
"You know, I can't believe you dared say that out loud." I managed to keep my voice cool and Sirius flinched.  
"That's me, very . . . daring." He said but without his usual flair. "I was just wondering, you know?"  
"I don't."  
"If there'd be anymore, um . . . kissing?"

To say that I blushed would be an understatement, I think I almost fell over as all the blood from my feet rushed to join the rest of it in my cheeks and neck. There was a war of emotions in my stomach – bad emotions – but mainly anger. Who did he think we was?

"What the hell Sirius?" I all but physically exploded. "You dragged me into a broom cupboard and demanded a birthday kiss which, really, is weird to begin with because most friends don't 'do' birthday kisses! And all the last two days you've been really weird and flirty or really weird and moody around me and you don't really have a reason to be when _you _asked for a birthday kiss and you got one. Good or bad, I don't care! But NOW you want to know if there's going to be _more _kissing? I don't get it, you have a whole chuffing fan club who would quite happily do more that just kiss you! And you ask ME, one of your best friends, effing SISTER of your best friend in the world? What the HELL is going on upstairs at the moment? Best friends don't kiss! I don't kiss Remus and I don't kiss Pete – I don't kiss Lily either! And you- you . . . !"

Sirius had stood staring at me during my rant, neither appearing to be taking in what I was saying or not. He frowned at me.  
"Well! You can't say you didn't enjoy it!"  
I took in a deep indignant breath and prepared to tell him exactly how wrong, and childish, he was. I could have just slapped him in the face.  
"Merlin! What the hell Sirius-!" But his hands were around my wrists, _burning_, trying to calm me down.  
"Shh, sorry! Look I shouldn't have that! It doesn't matter, honestly-" He nodded to show me just how honest he was being but there was the tiniest glimmer of something else in his eyes. "I was just asking." I don't know what caused it, but my anger dissipated almost completely.  
"Well don't ask." I huffed, "Ever." Sirius' low chuckle made me grin a bit. "Unless it's your birthday." Looking back I can't believe I said that . . . but we both laughed and a small amount of the tension that had been growing since the kiss left.  
"Is hugging acceptable?" He asked me, all wide-eyed, but I know a Padfoot is never truly innocent. I sighed, he still hadn't let go of my wrists.  
"Hugging is always acceptable." And we shared a nice, long, non-awkward, completely platonic hug in the corridor. As we broke apart Sirius planted a kiss on my forehead the way James did when we were younger when I was upset.  
"Acceptable?" I was asked as we wandered the last stretch of corridor towards the Fat Lady.  
"Sirius," I was on the verge of laughing. "You need a girlfriend mate!"

**9:00pm**

It's all very emotional. According to Lily anyway, she welled up a little and I can't say that I didn't feel a little tug on those heart strings. Sirius nearly cried outright, though I know he'll never admit it.

We were all sat in the common room, commandeering the prime spots around the fire on the sofa and in the comfiest chairs. James, Sirius and I were supposed to be doing our astronomy charts, Lily her Transfig essay and Remus was shooting Peter hints about charms while he sat and read but you know how it gets when you're in a large group and everyone's talking.  
"So you guys will be playing Hufflepuff next, yeah?" Sirius asked with a sly grin.  
"Mhm, yeah." James replied, only half listening. Sirius was _bored_, I could tell.  
"That'll be . . . interesting. Won't it Evans?"  
Lily looked up sharply, she might have smoothed things out with James quite a bit but Sirius . . . His grin grew wider, she'd taken the bait.  
"Well, I suppose-" Lily's reply, laced heavily in sarcasm, was cut off by a loud pecking sound at the window. We turned to see the rather bedraggled form of Ethelbert staring at us through the rain splattered glass.

"Hey Ethel?" James greeted as the soaked creature flew in, dripping water on the carpet. On his legs was the usual bundle of letters (for James, not me.) but he was also carrying a small brown package. "Pads it's for you." James announced before deftly throwing it over.  
After that, everyone seemed to ignore what was going on with Sirius, as you do. James read his letters, Sirius began to open this package and the others went back to doing their work. It seemed like I was the only one watching as Sirius removed the brown wrappings, pulled out an aging leather box and unfolded the small white note inside.

I watched as his eyes skimmed over the words, several different expressions flickering in them before settling with one of happy bewilderment? Without ceremony, he flicked open the lid of the box and let out a breath of disbelief. I noticed his eyes grow a little shiny. It was Peter who asked.  
"What's is it Padfoot?"  
Sirius looked up, as if in shock and brushed his upper lip with the back of a finger.  
"It's- It's er . . . my birthday present from the Potter folks." If my attention wasn't on him before, it was now. James raised his eyebrows in interest.  
"Cool, what they give you?" James shifted along the sofa to see what his best friend had.  
"It's a watch."

There was a stretch of silence between us. It's a wizarding tradition for a 17 year old wizard to receive a watch on his birthday from his parents. Supposedly, it brings protection and is a sign of love . . . I don't know about that but it might bring punctuality. But obviously for Pads to get something at all of my parents, a watch nonetheless – and not to get one from his own, biological ones – it's a big deal.

"And, I got a note . . ."  
"Can I read it?" I asked, and I gave him the warmest and most supportive look I could muster as he passed it over.  
"Read it out loud Billie." James said, a small glance to the boy(man) on his right confirming that that was ok. I nodded and unfolded the parchment, my eyes falling on the elegant handwriting that my mother hadn't passed on to James or I.  
"Our dear Sirius," I began, lowering my voice a little, although Sirius didn't seem to mind us hearing, I doubted he'd want the Common Room in on the contents. "We're sorry that your gift and this little note has arrived a little late, we certainly hope that you haven't thought for a second that we'd forgotten you-"  
"-I wasn't, you know, expecting anything." Sirius cut in, stressing the point with his eyes. James lay a hand on his shoulder.  
"Charles and I were unsure about sending you the gift, but in light of the events in the summer we felt it would be no less appropriate. Nobody deserves our love and love in general more than you do, and you should know that you will always be welcome in our family, as our son and as a wonderful best friend and brother to James and Billie." My throat was starting to thicken up and I knew that my expression was the same as every other Marauder's, sympathy and a sad sort of happiness. I swallowed. "So happy birthday Son, welcome to adulthood and pleas look after yourself! Love Mallory and Charles."

There was silence again. Sirius had welled up and was trying to hide it by quickly wiping his eyes. James' glasses hid any signs of tears from my angle, Remus and Pete both had supportive expressions that were really far too complex for me to decipher in the short time I got to glance at them and Lily was wearing the softest expression I've ever seen on her face, and it was directed at _Padfoot_.

"C'mon mutt." James pulled Sirius off the sofa and wrapped him in a tight hug. After a few seconds James opened up the embrace to and I stepped into the two of their arms with a sense of _family _that I haven't felt in a long time. Remus and Pete joined us and then there was just Lily sat there, looking rather like and odd end.  
"That is so cute!" She half squeaked and we all started laughing. Sirius and Remus made a gap in the now five person huddle.  
"Come on then Evans, just don't tell your boyfriend!"

* * *

**A/N: **That's that then, possibly one of the most awkward conversations I've ever written in my life and a strong part of me wanted that Hufflepuff girl to hear everything and tell everyone, but she didn't. There's going to be a lot of Hufflepuff-ness in the next chapter (it's great because I've already written most of it so now I can throw you hints) but you'll have to review if you want to know anything more, I do reply now :)

**ALL YOU LURKERS: **Why don't you ever tell me what you think? :( It's a lot of fun, I promise!

**ALSO: **I've written a one shot called: **Because Pennywise Never Had a Chance**, it's a sort of crossover between The Marauders and IT by Stephen King but I'm pretty sure it makes sense if you haven't read IT - you should check it out! And, I've written the second part of **Inhaler **for any of you people that were wonderful enough to read that and I've just got to type it up then it's all engines go :)

**Thank you :)**


	44. Seating Plans

**A/N: **Hello everyone!

I want to start off by saying a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed/messaged me about the last chapter! You're all amazing and I was literally overwhelmed by all the lovely things you had to say about the story and that last chapter so thank you so much :)

Just to let you all know, I'm back at prison now- I mean school - so updates might be a little bit slower, I am doing a tonne of GCSEs and they need a bit more attention but I'll do my best!

Beta'd by **FezzesRCool25 **ENJOY!

* * *

**26****th**** Nov  
****Seating Plans**

**11:30am**

I'm dying. Really, there can not be any worse a pain than what McGonagall is forcing me through at this moment in time. None whatsoever.

We came in to class as usual to see McGonagall looking a little uptight, but she always looks uptight so excuse me for not seeing this as a sign of the apocalypse and making a bolt for the door as soon as I could.

"Don't sit down!" She instructed us and there was a ripple of unease. "The staff and I have agreed it's about time we had a little change in the seating arrangements." All our eyes widened in shock and fear, mine especially, how was I supposed to get good grades if James wasn't sat next to me? However, I rationalised that, because I was moderately ok at Transfiguration, I'd be sat with someone around my level, for who creates a seating plan and doesn't either sit the smart people with the dumb people or the smart people together and the dumber people together? That meant I had a strong chance of sitting with Remus, Lily, Alice, Frank or even Emily. But no. Of course fate would not be that kind to me. "Miss Potter," I was shown to a seat right in the middle of the room, Remus was on the desk to my right with Lily and both gave me supportive smiles. I was about to sit down when: "Miss Freeth."

My jaw physically dropped. No way was McGonagall doing this to me. Sarah Freeth shouldn't even _be _in NEWT level Transfiguration! She barely got an A on her OWL! Plus, she's a bitch and _nobody likes her_. Sirius and James started laughing and I gave them both a dirty look before turning to plead silently with Remus and Lily, my state of shock amusing everyone except Minnie and Freeth herself. Who, had the freaking NERVE, to shoot me a dirty look as she sat down. Unlucky, I had the nerve to glare right back.

"Oh Billie that is bad luck!" James sniggered and to my right I heard Lily and Remus' heavy breathing as they tried to conceal their laughter. I turned to them both.  
"Go ahead guys, laugh it up! I personally don't see how this situation could get anymore hilarious." I still hadn't sat down.  
"Miss Potter! I suggest you sit down and stop causing such a fuss!"

So I did.

James and Sirius were put on the front row, at opposite ends of the classroom so they couldn't talk. Pete was put next to Sirius and Jess Guetting was put next to James, so both of them were happy. Emily and Ben were sat in front of me and when they sat down I leant forward to whisper.

"How come you get to sit with your friends?" This was met with two slightly smug smiles and looks of sympathy. F didn't notice, she was watching Sirius a few rows ahead. Avery and that Jade girl were placed behind me so I have the luxury of having her eyes staring right into my back all the time. It makes me shudder, seriously.

Once everyone was seated, McGonagall looked around the classroom, checking for any problems that could occur. She gave me a long, ambivalent look and I looked back, trying to explain to her through my eyes, that: sweet Merlin, if she did not move me, stuff was going to go down! But she didn't, introducing the lesson and telling Sirius off already for doodling.  
"Stop doodling Mr Black!"  
"But Professor! I've had a vision, it's the future!" Sirius lifted up his drawing and those in close enough sight (that weren't in Slytherin) laughed. "That's Billie," He pointed to a girl with a lot of black hair, ramming another girl's head against a desk. He pointed to the other girl, "And there are no prizes for guessing who that is."  
"Why, who's it supposed to be?" F spoke out in that ridiculously high voice she puts on. I turned to look at her . . . The way I'd look at Professor Slughorn if he confessed his love for Dumbledore in the Great Hall whilst wearing nothing but an XXXL cauldron. Incredulousness, and disgust. Lily coughed.  
"Are you mentally retarded?" I hissed and she turned to look at me, a sharpness in her eyes showing that she is nowhere near retardation. She knows exactly what she's doing.

Somehow, McGonagall managed to get us all working. I decided that I was just going to ignore this _orange _presence beside me and do the work set then maybe I'd get moved next to a smart person, maybe. F must have realised somewhere in that bitchy brain of hers what I was doing and then proceeded to make it her purpose to annoy the living daylights out of me. She hasn't actually done any work yet and we're half way through the lesson. Three layers of the mud she calls foundation has been applied, mainly to the collar of her shirt may I add, you can barely see her eyes for mascara and now she had taken to doodling Sirius' name all over her parchment. I find that to be rather weird. She's accidentally-on-purpose tried to knock my ink pot over twice now and sprayed this crap all over her body, which still smells. And then, when I resisted all her attempts to get me screaming at her, she tried to copy what I'd written.

"Don't copy my work." I told her and she gave me a filthy look.  
"I wasn't though."  
"Well don't."  
"I wasn't though."  
"Just don't."  
"I wasn't though."  
"Good, keep it up." My voice was growing more sarcastic by the minute.  
"Yeah, but I wasn't though."  
"Merlin! Shut UP!" Emily turned round to give F a piece of her mind. A few people gave her a shocked look and she blushed, I smiled a thank you.

I just can't deal with her. James and Sirius, all the others, are going to be so smug about this and-  
What if Slughorn sits me next to her?  
Ugh.

**2:00pm**

Just been given a detention. Not that I deserved it, actually, I think I'm a SAINT. I put up with her for three hours in a row! THREE HOURS! And who can blame me for sabotaging her potion? She had it coming! She nearly dropped a pot of lip balm in mine! Just because she's a slapper and Slughorn fancies her. And because I'm in Gryffindor. If I was in Ravenclaw this wouldn't have happened. Well, it would, several Ravenclaws including, Emily, Ben _and _that Jade girl, have told me they'd have done the exact same thing – it was a Slytherin who told me what the effects of me putting a whole gurdyroot in her potion (which was failing anyway) would be!

I couldn't believe my lack of luck! James is next to Pete, Sirius and Remus and Lily has been put next to ("my other potions _star_!") Snape. The look she gave me before sitting down wasn't a very happy one and they didn't really talk, and when they did it was only about the potion.

And, after an hour and a half of her reading aloud the ingredients list over and over, in a sing-song voice that was getting on my nerves, I decided that my potion was fine for the moment and went to see if the potions _stars _had anything up their sleeves that would help me kill her.  
"Lily!" I moaned, receiving a hug and a sympathetic smile as Snape studiously ignored me and F glared. I dropped my voice to a whisper. "What on Earth did I do?"  
"Aw, I feel for you, I really do!" She replied, beginning to stir again.  
"She's seriously doing my head in. It's not so much the fact that it's her . . . If she wasn't constantly applying makeup and didn't talk. Ever. I'd be fine! She's out to get me. I swear."  
Lily laughed. "Do you think I should just . . . sabotage her potion? Throw something in there? Hey! I might do enough damage that we get the rest of the lesson off!" I was quite into my idea but Lily shook her head.  
"As Head Girl I can't allow you to do that."  
I snorted. "What? I can't just let you go and cause trouble, even though she is a bitch." Snape, who must have been listening, looked up at Lily in surprise and she blushed. "She is!" I nodded in agreement and he went back to his work without saying anything.  
"You could pretend we never had this conversation, go distract Sir for me!"  
"You won't be able to lie your way out of this one though! He hates you!"  
"So, I'll get a detention- he'll still love you, and she might . . . die or something . . ." Lily put her hands on her hips and glanced over at Sir, who had his back to us all and was studying the Daily Prophet. Alice's head appeared between mine and Lily's and we both jumped. Alice laughed.

"Hey, sorry didn't mean to make you jump. Just overheard a bit of your conversation and Frank and I say go for it!" She winked, patted me on the back and scurried back to her desk behind us. We turned around and saw Frank grinning and nodding.  
"You're _Prefects_!" Lily reminded them huffily, annoyed that her minions were so keen to break rules. They shrugged simultaneously and then laughed. I turned my attention to all the weird and wonderful ingredients stacked in the cupboards which they had the fortune to be right beside.

"So what would cause the most damage?" I gestured towards the cupboards and Lily gaped.  
"You're serious? I-" she looked at me helplessly, "I refuse to tell you!"  
In the end it didn't matter whether she'd tell me or not, because Snape handed me a gurdyroot from the drawer next to him. "Severus!" Lily scolded, and his cheeks tinged a dirty red colour. "Billie! Don't you dare!"

But I was already gone.  
And didn't it make a loud bang?  
My detention is Thursday night, just in case I forget.

Sirius, he says he's very proud of me.

**8:00pm **

You know when you think your day can't get that much worse? And then someone persuades you to do something which you don't want to do because you know it won't work out very well? And then you spend half of your night with people that you don't even like just because this person managed to persuade you to do so? I hate it when that happens.

"It's going to be fine! You might even both enjoy yourselves!" Lily told me as she half-dragged me to the library. I groaned.  
"Stop trying to convince yourself! We both hate each other and I've had a horrible enough day as it is with a Hufflepuff and you want to force another one on me?"  
"You never know . . . besides, you've had such a bad day this experience might not actually seem as bad, comparing." She seemed quite satisfied with her theory.  
"Have you forgotten that I tried to blow up one of his . . . _friends_," Lily gave me a warning look at what I was implying, "Today? Or that there's a huge quidditch match coming up and we're playing each other?"

We arrived at those big doors to hell and it was only my stubbornness that kept me from turning back. Lily overlooked my last comment and led me towards the back. Sure enough, there he was, uniform pristine and hair wet from a recent shower. Pompous smirk intact. He stood up when we arrived and kissed Lily on the mouth. I felt slightly sick, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I brought Billie along, thought you two might-"  
"She wanted me to see that you aren't that bad . . ." I cut it, taking the seat furthest away from them both. Dickory's upper lip curled and he took the seat opposite. Lily tried to be diplomatic but had to sit closer to Dickory due to the way the tables were set out. She laughed nervously.  
"Well, you're not that bad are you dear?"  
"Of course not." He kissed her cheek and I rolled my eyes. I could tell that this was going to be horrendous.

"So Potter, who do you think is going to win the next quidditch match?" I was asked with a cold look. We'd got settled doing the potions work we would have been doing before I blew the classroom up. I couldn't believe he was even talking about such a delicate subject when Lily was around.  
"Us." I replied simply. "Let's be honest, when we played Ravenclaw they didn't score once and they beat you. So . . ." He glared at me. Lily opened her mouth to speak but he did first.  
"Ravenclaw's Seeker got lucky, it was only by 10 points that they won, we were miles ahead." Dickory attempted to excuse his team's crappy performance.  
"Yeah, well your Seeker would have to swallow a bottle full of Felix Felicis if he wanted to be _lucky _enough to catch that snitch when my brother is on the pitch." Because he would, my brother is probably one of the best goddamn Seekers Hogwarts has ever seen, I don't think he's ever not caught it.  
"Your brother is mediocre, as is his team." Dickory told me with a haughty flick of his hair. I raised an eyebrow in disbelief.  
"James has never missed a catch, that's a lot more than you can say for any of your players. We can have this conversation when you play Ravenclaw and don't let them score." The temperature had dropped to a physically frosty level and Lily looked rather dismayed.

"We don't have to talk about quidditch! How are you doing with your potions work?" She aimed the question at both of us, in a desperate attempt to change the subject. Dickory answered.  
"Fine. Although I am a little annoyed that we have to do this work _now_, when we could have already had it finished in class."  
"Maybe if your bit on the side wasn't such a bitch then I wouldn't have had the urge to blow her up."  
Lily sighed and Dickory looked furious.  
"She is a bitch Amos." Lily said quietly, "And she hates Billie with a passion because she's friends with Sirius." Dickory turned his stony look to his girlfriend.

"I know what you all think about her but she is my friend and I think she's a nice girl. Besides! You can't have a problem with the seating plan you get to sit next to that freak Lupin-"  
"Don't you DARE call him a freak!" Lily and I both threatened and Dickory turned a shade paler.  
"-And then you get to chum it up with that Snape creep you used to hang around with all the time."  
"Chum it up? What the hell Amos? You know why we're not friends."

"Yeah, because he called you a Mudblood and guess who had cause in it?" My mouth dropped as he pointed a finger at me. That was out of order! Not only did that event happen two years ago, when there was only really Remus who had any sense of decorum, Lily and I weren't really friends then, and although I may be guilty through inaction because I didn't stop Padfoot and James from bullying him that day . . . I never said or did anything. In fact, the only time I have ever done anything to Snape myself was when he threatened to tell the whole school about Moony's furry little secret and I felt the need to silence him. Although, I may have added a few words to the List of Words to Describe Snape's Mum.

"How can you say that? Billie didn't do anything- you can't hold her guilty for the things her brother did just because you don't like James! And it's not like you've never had a go at Sev-Severus before, you got him to hex himself to stitch up Billie and James. Yes! I know about that!" Lily's voice was growing loud with her fury. I wondered if it was often like this for them, arguing over me and James then the heavy patter of Madame Pince's feet could be heard.

"QUIET IN THE LIBRARY!" She shrieked at us, most obviously at me even though I had been the quietest so far. I grabbed my bag and stood to leave, no point staying and causing more arguments.  
"Sorry. I was just leaving." I met eyes with Lily and she gave me an apologetic look which I returned. "I'll see you later." And without stopping to listen to whatever insult Diggory was throwing at my back, I walked off, trying to remember which way we came in because surely I would get lost amidst this leather bound volumes filled with some ancient crap and never be seen again. Then came the best part of my day so far, and I mean that completely non-sarcastically.

As I turned a foreign corner I bumped straight into the lanky Ben.

"Whoa!" He grabbed me before I fell over and I apologised and thanked him, blushing slightly. "Was that Lily shouting back there?" I rolled my eyes and nodded. He was alone, without the usual back-up of Emily and Jade or the handful of boys he very really hangs around with.  
"I've been causing arguments, Lily brought me up here to try and convince me her boyfriend 'wasn't that bad'. My judgement hasn't changed." We had started walking, I followed because surely Ben would know the way out.  
"Ah."  
"Yeah . . ."  
Ben appeared to think for a few seconds.

"Lily could do a lot better couldn't she?" I nodded vigorously in response. "If you want to get out of here just turn left then right up there." He showed me the way with his hands and I blushed again, it was that obvious I was lost.  
"Thanks, I really don't do this whole library thing very often . . ."

Ben appeared to think again. It was really rather awkward, him thinking and me – not thinking.

"You should. Emily's going to be in the library in that free period you both have tomorrow, shall I tell her you'll join her?"  
"I- Sure?" It had to be the weirdest way of asking someone to join someone ever. I think Ben is a little weird, intelligent no doubt, but just so . . . awkward, in a sort of oddly endearing, charismatic way. I don't even know why I agreed, I barely know Emily but I suppose it would be nice to spend some time with someone a little different, and she is easy to talk to. As long as Jade's not there. He flashed a smile at me.  
"Ok."  
"Ok?" I was just about to follow Ben's directions when another voice rang out.

"Hey Potter." I turned to see Jade stood behind us, something inside me froze.  
"Yeah?"  
"Nice work with that gurdyroot today, any one of us would have done the same thing." She sort of _smiled _although it looked so forced it was sort of like she was just baring her teeth at me. I tried to smile back though.  
"Cheers. I'll um, see you later."  
"I'll tell Emily." Ben promised to my retreating back.

I swear it's just been one of those days. The people who you're supposed to like but really hate (Dickory) are horrible to you and the people that you possibly could like, or have liked, are nice (Snape and Jade). And all because I have to sit next to Sarah FREAKING Freeth.  
I will blow up every single classroom in the school until I don't have to be around her anymore.  
I will.

**27****th**** Nov  
****Bribe**

**3:00pm **

I've had more fun this afternoon then I have in the last couple of days, even though the last couple of days haven't really been the highlight of my teenage life, you know, I was molested by Padfoot (twice in different ways), I broke most of the bones in the right side of my body, Pomfrey got pissed off with me, I have to sit next to that _horrible _girl 'F' (because in calling her that I can let my imagine wander and think about all the different words to describe her using the letter F), I made Lily and her Dickory argue and it's otherwise been full of homework. But today has been much better!

_Sirius _and I went to the library a little after lunch in our free period. I didn't want him to come but he insisted, pointing out the fact that he could do whatever he wanted, what could I have done about it anyway? Hex him? Luckily for us Emily wasn't that hard to find, she was sat on the same table as the three of them were the last time. She looked up and a brilliant smile crossed her face when she saw us.

"Hey! Ben said you might come," She took in Sirius' lack of school bag, he'd told me that he wasn't planning on doing work so why lug it around? "I thought you might tag along too." I half expected him to be insulted but he grinned like a gentlemen as we both took the proffered seats.  
"What are you up to?" I asked, failing to read the titles of the books she had littered around the table upside-down.  
"Oh, potions." They both gave me a sly look and I held up my hands in innocence.  
"That potions work we have to do now because Billie decided to blow up Sarah Freeth?" Sirius and Emily shared a grin. I opened my mouth in exasperation and Emily laughed.  
"I was very impressed with that by the way, I hate potions."  
I gasped in mock horror.  
"A Ravenclaw admitting to hating a subject? Never in my life!"  
"Just because I'm a nerd! Potions is a rare gift, one that I don't have." We both looked at Sirius who smirked.  
"I'm gifted at everything."

I decided that it might be a good idea to crack on with this potions work as well because I really didn't get that much done with Lily and Dickory. We'd been there for scarcely half an hour when Sirius started with the _questions_.

"I'm bored!" He announced to us both, swinging back on his chair despite Emily's protests that he would injure himself.  
"You should have brought some work to do!" She said and both Sirius and I laughed.  
"I don't do work during the normal hours! Five a.m. for me!" Emily gave him a horrified look.  
"That's so unhealthy! And you still get O's?"  
"Unfair isn't it?" I pointed out, although I'm used to it by now. Sirius' face lit up and I saw a flash of worry streak through Emily's face, I felt it too.

"I know! I'll ask you questions!" It was a strange request but not an unreasonable one and Emily being a good sport said that as long as she could refuse a really personal question then she'd play along. Sirius clapped his hands together in excitement and I rolled my eyes.

"Go steady Pads, Emily's probably not used to such a display of energy. From what I know, Ravenclaws are of few words." Emily laughed out loud.  
"Oh you mean Ben? Bless him, he's so strange!" She confirmed exactly what I thought the other day but said it with such tenderness that there was no doubt that the strangeness worked in their friendship. Sirius coughed and we both looked at him. He smirked again.

"What's your favourite colour Emily?"  
"Oh umm, purple – violet, like a dark purply colour?"  
"Mhm, what's your favourite animal?"  
"I like wolves, and big cats, I love the idea of the hierarchy system and how they work it all out without as high a level of communication as we do." Sirius and I shared an uneasy glance at the mention of wolves but Emily didn't notice and Sirius hurried on with the next question when she'd answered.  
"What's your favourite food?"  
"Those pasties they serve at dinner time sometimes!"

Sirius and my jaws dropped.  
"NO WAY! US TOO!"  
"They're just the tastiest things!"  
"I'm completely with you both there." I agreed with a grin, now all three of us were slacking off but at least we were all talking and finding things out about this girl that Remus obviously likes so much. Sirius kept up with the random, easy questions for a little while, he must have been trying to lure her into a false sense of comfort. Then he started with the more personal ones and it got a lot more interesting.

"Have you ever dated someone that's not a Ravenclaw?" He asked and I began to listen intently as my attention was drifting back to the unfinished work in front of me. Emily shook her head, turning faintly pink and Sirius grinned. "If you had to date someone from another house which house would be more likely to go for?" It was Emily's turn to laugh, she shook her head slightly at the question.  
"It's not about which house they're in!" Sirius looked rather puzzled. "I'd date someone from any house as long as, you know, there was mutual attraction and we got along. Why not?" We both laughed at Sirius' faintly disgusted look.  
"So you'd date a _Slytherin _or a _Hufflepuff_?" Emily rolled her eyes.  
"And I'd date someone from Gryffindor too if that's what you were waiting for me to say."

"You really don't have to panda to him Emily, don't answer his questions if you don't want." I stuck my tongue out at Padfoot who gave me a narrowed-eye look, I figured he was after some kind of information. Emily just grinned and gestured for him to continue, at least if she was enjoying herself she'd be more happy to answer whatever questions Sirius was about to throw at her.

"Ok, you ready for this one?" There was a mischievous glint in his eye. Frowning a bit, Emily nodded. "Out of the Marauders, who would you rather date?" Sirius was expecting a long pause and a lot of blushing but Emily replied immediately.  
"Billie, of course." I nodded my approval and she gave me a cheeky wink, Sirius laughed.  
"Well apart from the obvious choice . . . Out of the boys who would you go out with?"  
Emily opened her mouth.  
"Don't you dare say my name again!" I warned and she giggled. She was blushing properly now. "Alright Emily?" I teased and she blushed harder. "Something you want to admit to?"  
"No!"  
"Really?" Sirius asked in a slow disbelieving voice.  
"Yes!"

"Are you going to answer the question then?" I asked in my sly tone of voice that I usually reserve only for when we are planning pranks. Sirius turned and gave me a huge grin with a knowing glint in his eye, obviously he was waiting for her to say Remus. A fresh wave of colour filled her cheeks.  
"Well! I don't really know you or James that well, and I've never spoken to Peter in my life . . . so on that basis, I'd have to pick Remus."  
"So you pick Remus?" Sirius questioned, "Because you talk to him more?" Emily nodded. "And it's not because you have a ridiculously large crush on him?"

Sirius asked the question with a perfect calmness but Emily's reaction was perfect. Her eyes widened hugely, actually, I was scared they were going to pop out at one stage, the shade of her cheeks was now almost purple, she sort of _jumped _and knocked over a pot of ink, cursing as it fell on the floor and smashed and I think that her jaw touched the floor.

"I-? You-? You know? How?"  
Both Sirius and I laughed.

"Sorry Emily, but you're both-" The both slipped off my tongue accidentally, but fortunately she didn't notice. Or she did and she just stored it away in her Ravenclaw brain to analyse later. Sirius gave me a warning look. "A bit obvious. Every time he walks in the room you turn into a tomato!" She hung her head and then she started laughing at herself.  
"You tricked that right out of me!" She paused to think, "Please don't say anything to him . . . or anyone . . . ever."

We told her that we couldn't promise anything, Marauder's honour and everything and she looked rather exasperated, in the end settling for just telling us that was never going to share anything with us ever again. Sirius assured her that she could most likely confide in me because I'm a girl and therefore they find it harder to worm things out of me and she was slightly mollified. Then it was decided that we should actually get on with our potions because otherwise old Sluggy would kill us (again, in my case).

"How long then?"  
Emily refused to answer any further questions.

**9:3****0pm**

I have just witnessed the sneakiest and most underhand _bribery_ the noble house of Gryffindor has ever witnessed. And it was the seemingly virtuous Remus J Lupin that caused it!

Lily had gone to meet up with Amos, according to her, he apologised profusely about yesterday and is now acting like a perfect gentleman and then, much to my repulsion, she said that she would be a fool not to take advantage of it. If he wasn't such a scumbag and I didn't think that he is completely unworthy of Lily . . . I could maybe pity him. A little bit. The offer was there again for me to join them but I gave Lily a look like she was completely off her rocker, which she must be to have suggested it after yesterday's events! She laughed a little sadly then left the Common Room, leaving me all on my lonesome.

So I decided to wander off up to the Boys' dorm, as I so commonly do, and see what the boys were up to.

"Hey." I greeted as I entered and waded my way through all the crap on the floor to sit on James' bed with him. He grinned and nodded over to Remus' bed where Sirius and Remus were engaged in a rather heated conversation.  
"You've got to see this! Remus has succumbed to the dark side." I frowned and looked over at Wormy who broke off watching with a rapt expression to give me an enthusiastic nod.

"You give me the chocolate and I'll give you the information." Sirius insisted, a wily half smile growing as Remus scowled. I wanted to ask what was going on but I got the feeling that my curiosity wouldn't be received that kindly. Moony had a large bar of Honeydukes in his hand and the realisation of what they were doing sunk in.

"That wasn't the _deal _Padfoot! How do I know that the information you're going to give me will be enough to warrant this chocolate?" My eyes widened in shock. Remus Lupin, the Prefect, the sensible one, was paying Sirius in chocolate for information about his afternoon. About Emily – that's why Sirius was asking all those questions earlier.  
"Oh believe me, I asked a lot of questions today. You'd be mad not to want to know the answers."

I shook my head in disbelief, this was an outrage! Sirius sabotaged my afternoon with Emily, flooding her with questions so he could lure her into a false sense of security and trick her into admitting that she liked Remus, and all for a bar of chocolate and a loved up werewolf? Disgraceful. I coughed loudly and the two boys turned to stare at me like rabbits caught in the headlights.

"I do hope the two of you are not forgetting who actually arranged the meeting with Emily today, who made it possible for this question and answer session to take place." Remus and Sirius blinked and James laughed loudly.  
"This just keeps getting better!" He exclaimed, giving me an admiring look for amusing him.  
"This bribery is also very disgraceful, especially with you Remus John Lupin. I'd hate to have to be the one to tell our dear Ravenclaw friend what's been going on, I can't say she'd be very impressed." I folded my arms and Remus pressed his hands to his temples in deep thought.  
"Billie you can't do that-" Sirius began in protest. Sure, I was ruining his deal but I wanted my fair share of Honeydukes too!  
"Oh can't I? My silence hasn't been bought . . ."  
"Brilliant." James murmured, patting me on the back and sharing a wicked grin with Pete. Padfoot glared at him.

"FINE!" Remus relented, "You can have half each! But you have to swear to tell me everything she said and not to tell her I asked. Marauders' honour!"  
Sirius opened his mouth to object but I jumped on the bed and covered his mouth.  
"Marauders' honour!" I vowed and Sirius nodded before licking my palm. I dropped his hand in shock, crinkled my nose at the wet stripe of his saliva and then wiped it on Remus' quilt. He didn't notice.

"You are such a mercenary," Sirius told me with a funny look. "It's disgusting." I stuck my tongue out at him.  
"You're disgusting."

Remus seemed quite satisfied with the answers we gave him. Pale fuchsia was the colour we eventually decided his cheeks went when we told him the big news, that Emily did indeed fancy him and that he should get his bum in gear and ask her out.

"Just do it!" James cried, he and Peter had joined Sirius and I on Remus' bed (which was starting to sag) and he threw his arms out in an over the top action and nearly hit Remus in the face. "Tonight when you're on patrol! Woo her with your extensive knowledge of poetry!" After rubbing his nose a bit, Remus laughed.  
"James, I am not taking romantic advice from you until you're married. Plus, the only poetry you know is Spike Milligan!" The insult did not have the desired effect, in fact, James looked rather proud.

"ON THE NING NANG NONG WHERE THE COWS GO BONG AND THE MONKEYS ALL SAY BOO!" Unfortunately, he did not see Lily enter.  
"James?"  
"THERE'S A NONG NANG NING WHERE THE TREES GO PING AND THE TEAPOTS JIBBER JABBER JOO-"  
"James, we need to go-"  
"-NONG NING NANG WHERE THE MICE GO CLANG AND YOU JUST CAN'T CATCH THEM WHEN THEY DO! SO THAT'S NING NANG NONG, COWS GO BO- Oh! Hi Lily!" Over-ripe plum was the colour James turned. Lily raised an eyebrow but her lip twitched. "I'm a bit of a Spike Milligan fan."  
"So I hear . . ."

James turned a shade darker and we all began snorting with laughter.  
"Have fun on your ning nang nong- I mean your patrol Prongs!" Remus called rather smugly but James kept it together enough to shoot him a smirk.  
"You have fun on _your _patrol Moony . . ." He waggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way. "I might even bump in to Emily as we make our rounds . . ."

Well Remus was out of that door and after James and Lily before you could say look at the werewolf go! Not that you'd ever really say that. It's not very socially acceptable.

Sirius, Pete and I shared the chocolate and the motto of today's story is that bribery will get you nowhere!  
Unless you're me.  
Then you get chocolate.

* * *

**A/N: **Please review :) it'll make me feel better about all the work I have to do now and about the penis of a boy I have to sit next to in Geography! (It's hilarious how much of a pretentious twat he is, but I hate him.) Hope you enjoyed it!


	45. A Christmassy Detention and A Break Up

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY!**

It's been a **month** since I last updated! I feel like such a slow, horrible writer - this chapter's not even worth the wait! - I'm just a bad person. I don't even think I've been replying to all your beautiful reviews. I'm just so sorry :(

{about **Inhaler **I know, it's not really relevant here but hey, main news source. I realise that it made no sense, at all. So within the next few days I'm going to post a link to a page on my tumblr that explains the 'plot' of it so anyone can go there if they don't get what happened - thanks for all your support with that though guys:)}

This chapter will hopefully please a lot of you, it made me happy writing it anyway. There's only **4 **chapters left to go before we start a new 'diary' in a different fanfic - excited? I am.

Beta'd by **FezzesRCool25 **thank you dear!

* * *

**2****nd**** Dec  
****A Christmassy Detention**

**9:00pm**

Just got back from my supposed torture (courtesy of Slughorn and Sarah Freeth's stupidity). I say supposed because I actually had quite a good time! Instead of being on my hands and knees scrubbing the insides of old cauldrons, or re-arranging potions ingredients, I got to decorate the huge Christmas tree that had been put up in the Great Hall sometime last night. Although I'm not as festive as Sirius and James are, I still love decorating Christmas trees, and I managed to get Professor Jubential to join me so it wasn't too painful at all.

"All on your lonesome?" He asked me, wandering into the Great Hall with a big grin on his face, probably after hearing me whistle the ruder, Weird Sister's version of Jingle Bells. I was halfway up a ladder, attempting to wrap tinsel around the branches closest to me and only really succeeding at wrapping myself up in it. Luckily, I'd heard him coming – I'd hate to think what would have happened if he'd made me jump.

"Aye, this is my punishment for blowing up the dungeons and trying to murder Sarah Freeth." A branch obscured his face but I heard him laugh in amazement.

"This is your punishment? I thought they'd stopped letting detention students decorate the tree by now, I used to get one every year so I could charm all the baubles red." I smiled, descending the ladder so I could move it round to the other side.

"That's very patriotic of you Sir, but I've been instructed that the decorations can't only be my house colour or I have to start again." I'd reached the bottom and he passed me some more of the tinsel with a thoughtful look at my work.

"Well what kind of colour scheme are you going for then?" He shook his head at my raised eyebrow. "You don't have a colour scheme? Are you crazy? We used to have a committee for these things and everything, the head boy and girl would gather all the design aware prefects and hold a decorations meeting to decide about colours and themes – same thing for Halloween and Valentines Day." I gave him a blank look and he rolled his eyes. "Do you need my help?"

"So," Sir asked ten minutes later after we had argued about colours and placements and almost everything there was to discuss until I finally gave in and let him direct me on where things should go. "-No, to the left a bit- why did you get the urge to sabotage Sarah Freeth's work and almost burn her in the process?" A look of alarm was sent my way as I began to cough to cover the growl I let out at the mention of her name.

"Because I hate her."

"Is that so?"

"She disrupts my learning."

"Oh really?"

"She's always applying make up or trying to copy off me or mumbling stuff that doesn't even make sense or doodling random boys' names all over her work or singing about how she needs to go to the toilet or talking in that really ridiculous high pitched voice that she uses to get attention or spraying that stuff that stinks of vanilla and piss- urine and the worst thing is, when she's trying to get attention by acting stupid, it's so obvious that she knows exactly what she's doing because she's not really stupid at all, she just pretends to be and I don't like people like that."

There was a short pause.

"Singing about how she needs to go to the toilet . . . What?"

"Oh yes," I gritted my teeth. That was F's latest way of driving me to hell. She doesn't usually do it in Transfiguration because McGonagall always has her eye on us both in case we Unforgivable each other but Slughorn is always too busy fawning over Lily to notice her. I told Sir all this and then did a demonstration, much to his horror and amusement. "I NEED A WEE." Clap. "I NEED A WEE." Clap. "It's even better when she dares to do it in Transfiguration because she can rhyme Miss and piss- urine."

"You poor child – you know, I'd put it on the branch above – I'll ask them both to move her as far away from anyone as possible." I sighed contentedly, thinking about how nice that would be. "I'm a nice teacher who doesn't have seating plans you see." He laughed at my vigorous nodding.

Within half an hour we had done with the tinsel and were well on our way with the baubles, using the slower but lazier way of levitating them on the end of the branches and trying not to inhale any of the pine needles that fell down when you did so. The conversation was easy and flowing naturally enough. We talked for a while about the quidditch game the previous weekend in which I broke my ribs. Apparently half the staff were furious at him, Dumbledore and McGonagall for not stopping the game immediately and getting me off the pitch. I was proud to hear that they had enough trust in my quidditch abilities to know when I was really hurt and when it was too dangerous I'd stop playing myself and amused to hear that they kicked up a big fuss about the fact that Parkinson wasn't immediately suspended for his actions in the game. He has been now though. Sir seemed impressed with my flying, throwing in a few professional quidditch terms that had my eyebrows raised and showed off how much of a quidditch nerd he really is – but I don't get the impression he ever actually played for a team. He's a bit . . . stringy.

"What are you doing this Christmas Sir?" I asked as we cast the charms that would add tiny twinkling lights to the tree.

"I'm going to be all by myself in my flat." He replied, not sounding too happy about the fact. "Well, I think I will be. Someone might be coming to stay with me for the last week but it depends . . ." I was curious but I couldn't ask. "My parents have abandoned me for a wizarding cruise and all my friends are in relationships so they might make one or two sympathy visits but obviously they'll be wanting to share their magical Christmas with their loved ones." After a few seconds consideration I plucked up the courage to ask:

"You're not a loved one then Sir?" I thought back to all the happy photographs of him and Jen Parker and wondered maybe if . . . He snorted.

"No, no! I'm as single as Pringle."

"Pringle?"

"Oh, he was the old caretaker before Filch took over. Nice guy," He mused, "None of this 'Chains and whips, let's beat the children! They can't break rules if they can't move!'" I giggled and Sir smiled broadly. "What about you? You'll be going home for the holidays I'd imagine." I nodded grimly, it's not something that I'm extremely looking forward to. A whole two weeks with my family invading my space and asking private questions and being all jolly and bossing me around because James doesn't have to lift a finger because James is the golden child. At least Sirius will be there this year, even though his rendition of Good Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs can grate on your nerves after a while.

"Unfortunately yes." Sir's eyes snapped to mine and he tried to hide the amusement in them.

"Uhoh?"

"I don't get along too well with the majority of my family, let's put it that way." Sir nodded in agreement.

"Your mum? It has to be, it's usually mums for girls and dads for boys. Although I can imagine with a family as big as yours no doubt is she won't be the only annoying one." I sniffed and Sir sighed a humourless sigh, "My dad always used to ask me when I was going to become a real man and get a girlfriend and be sporty and win trophies, the whole shebang." He smiled at my look of concern, "It's ok, I never did, I was a complete loser at Hogwarts and I was always in trouble – like you guys but not as well respected – and then my sister hit the age where she and my mum used to scream at each other all the time and it eclipsed the fact that I wasn't that good a kid for a while."

"That . . . sucks. Both my parents just like James better." I confessed to his unasked question, he clicked his tongue. "No, don't say that you're sure they don't and that they love us both equally because they must love us both equally but it doesn't change the fact that they both _like _James more. My mum even confessed it once during an argument and all I've ever had since I was about ten is: 'Why can't you be more like James?' because James is a perfect child and I'm not."

Sir was silent for a while.

"If it makes you feel better . . . My sister and my mum are like best friends now, one day they realised where everything was going wrong and all the arguing just stopped. It was great for me." I laughed in spite of the slow burn of anger I was feeling at the thought of my parents.

"Thing is, it's not like we argue- Well, we do, but it's always what she doesn't say that hurts the most. She's always giving me looks when James is around and if I do the slightest thing wrong and you can tell she's comparing us the whole time." Sir made a sympathetic face. "James is so oblivious to it all as well, it's like he's in this bubble at home and he can't see out of it. It was better this summer because Sirius was there and Mum had someone to compare James to so he got called up about stuff as well." Professor J opened his mouth to say something but a thought struck me, "Sir, why don't you just stay here for Christmas?" He blinked, adjusting to the change in conversation before grinning sheepishly.

"Because I've got tickets to go see the World Cup friendly on the 20th and I'm scared that I'll get snowed in if I stay and there's no way I'm going to miss _that_." I detected he wanted to add 'not at those ticket prices' on the end but had the pride not to. I nearly died of jealousy.

"How's little Remus?" Sir asked as we began to fiddle about with the finishing touches before we put the gnome on top. I gave him a funny look.

"Little Remus?"

"Yeah, he's so nice – polite and kind and all that, unlike his friends."

"Oi!" Sir laughed at my indignant cry. "But he's fine," I smiled in memory of the conversation that had had taken place when he got back off his patrol after we had revealed that Emily does fancy him. In short, we teased him mercilessly for about half an hour and he got all embarrassed. They didn't make any revelations and there was 'no kissing, no Sirius shut up making those noises!'. In my opinion he just needs to tell her and everything will fall into place, wolf or no. "He's got a crush." Sir looked pleasantly surprised.

"Really! Aw bless, who is she?"

"Emily Croft."

"The Ravenclaw?" He was genuinely smiling, I nodded in affirmation. "Ah, I see it now. They patrol together don't they?"

"Yeah, Sirius is convinced that Remus is secretly already in a relationship with her and that they shirk their Prefect duties to be together but we all know Remus is too responsible for that." Sir laughed.

"Bless him, he deserves someone decent that kid. You know next Wednesday is a full moon, you're welcome to join me again."

"Thank you, I'll just have to see how I feel though." I replied truthfully and Sir nodded. With a flourish of his wand the gnome was in place and we stood in silence admiring our handy work. I have to admit, Sir got it right with the gold and silver colour scheme and there's no way I'll have to redo it. He cast a Tempus.

"Blimey, is that really the time?" He asked aloud as 8:30pm showed in glowing orange lights. "Thought it was later that that by now!"

"Do you reckon I could get out of my detention early?" I gave him an innocent look and he grinned.

"Go on then, just don't go causing any more mischief!"

"No Sir! Of course not Sir!" I recited like a First Year, grabbing my bag and my cloak which I had discarded for ladder safety reasons. "Thanks for your help it would have taken me all night to do it by myself!" Just as I was about to leave through the main door, and him through the side door that leads to a rarely used staff area, he called.

"Hey Billie! Tell Remus to get in there from me!" He winked and was gone before I had time to shout back and tell him I would.

**9:30pm  
**Told Remus Sir's message.  
Scarlet-y pink.

* * *

**4****th**** Dec  
****Break Up Notes**

**1****:00pm **

_Is she going to do it? – S  
_She said she was going to – B  
_She's had an hour and a half, what's taking so long? – S  
_I don't know do I? Maybe she's changed her mind, why are you so eager for it anyway? – B  
_Because I hate him, I want to see his reaction and because it's doing my Prongsie a favour – S  
_**Are you sure she's going to do it Billie? – J  
**She said she was going to do it, I don't know if she actually will – B  
**I hope she does – J  
**You would. – B

Hey Lily, what's the hold up? – B  
_**I can't think how to word it! – L**_

She can't think how to word it – B  
_What's so hard? – S  
_**Yeah, I think – You're dumped – would suffice. Maybe****: I fancy the legendary and very sexy James Potter and am transferring my affections to him – J  
**Ouch – R  
**What? – J  
**Your head, it just hit me from three rows behind – R  
**Go back to staring at Emily why don't you? – J  
**Unnecessary – R

James thinks you should just write: You're dumped and then something about how sexy he is – B  
_**How sex**__**y Amos is? – L  
**_No! Ugh. How sexy James is – B  
_**. . . – L**_

**Lily doesn't like the sexy idea does she? – J  
**No – B  
_Why doesn't she let me write it? – S  
_Because she's not stupid – B

Look, what have you got so far? – B  
_**I'm not telling you! It's embarrassing! I think I'm just going to send it . . . – L  
**_Go on! – B  
_**I daren't though – L  
**_What's he going to do? Now while sir's not looking! – B

Lily nearly decapitated Diggory with that note then – R  
_Haha, she has brilliant aim. Why doesn't she play quidditch instead of Billie? – S  
_So my aim's not brilliant? – B  
**Guys, look at his FACE – J  
**Holy Merlin, he looks like he's going to explode! – B  
_I've seen aubergines less purple than that! – S  
__**Oops – L**_

"Amos, what's that you've got there?" Professor Jubential asked, sounding remarkably concerned, but then again, he was purple. Diggory looked up in shock, obviously not realising that he was still gripping the note (essay) that Lily had sent to him. Sir held out a hand and, not having another option, Dickory placed the note in his palm. The class was silent as Sir read the note, Lily turned round to James, Sirius and I and mouthed a curse. We nodded in agreement, this probably wasn't going to go down too well. "Well," Sir cleared his throat. "That's awkward."

I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it and to my right James and Sirius started howling with laughter too. Remus began chuckling and Ben, Emily and Jade used their sleeves to cover their laughter. From the other of the classroom, Alice snorted loudly like a pig and that set us all off again as she began to cry with mirth at the sound she made.

"Who says that?" Sirius asked to no-one in particular. "Your cat died- that's awkward, you failed all your exams – that's awkward-"

"-Your girlfriend dumps you, awkward!" James continued, resting his head and arms on the desk as he was shaking so much with laughter at the ridiculousness of the situation. Really, Sir could have chosen a better word than: awkward. Even Lily was laughing now.

Without another word being said, Diggory was out of his seat and storming out the classroom to people hoots and cries of laughter. The door slammed shut with a loud bang and everyone burst into applause.

"Way to go Lily!" Alice shouted over the noise. I made eye contact with Sir and saw he looked a little embarrassed for them both as all this commotion was his fault, he shook his head when I grinned at him.

"Alright! Alright! Everybody settle down or they'll be Dumbledore in here in a second!"

It's safe to say, we never really got back to talking about the hierarchy in a bowtruckle nest again.

Lily was completely hyper when we got out of lesson, the adrenaline from the break up still thrumming around her body. I was grabbed into a wild hug as soon as we left the door.

"Oh Merlin I can't believe I actually did that! I mean, I know we talked about it and everything but- I actually broke up with him!" Her green eyes flicked around our faces, she blushed a little when she looked at James.

"About time too." Sirius commented dryly, "Now all we need is for Mr Lupin to get his act together- Oof. No need!" He clutched his stomach where Remus had shot him with a stinging hex.

"Hopefully the swelling will serve as a reminder for you to keep your mouth shut."

"Did you see his face though?" Lily asked me earnestly and I nodded with a smirk, it was really a magnificent shade of purple.

"How do you feel?" James asked, I watched him carefully but he was keeping his emotions in check rather well. I'm sure all the mini-stags inside his belly were leaping about with joy at the news. Lily smiled hugely and I noticed him swallow.

"I feel free actually, like- I can do whatever the Hell I want." She announced but Sirius stopped her from saying anymore.

"Well, I _want _to go get some food so why don't we go do that, yes?" He began walking along the corridor backwards, making beckoning gestures with his hands. We followed him with a sigh each.

Diggory wasn't at dinner time but by then the news had spread and as we entered Lily got another round of applause until she put on her Head Girl face and stopped it dead. Even then, people congratulated her on being single and made comments about her ex (it's so great to be able to write that) which made her blush.

"You know, more people have said things to me about how happy they are that we've broken up than they did when we started going out." We all gave Lily an incredulous look. Remus put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"That's because everyone hates him Lily."

No truer words have ever been spoken.

**8:00pm**

I actually cannot breathe for laughing.

Dickory has just been frog marched down to the Hufflepuff Common Room by none other than Professor McGonagall! McGoogles herself!

It all came about because, in what was becoming the usual Dickory style, he had called Lily out of the comfort and safety of the Common Room so that he could shout at her and she could rebuff him. This time, neither of them seemed to care that they had an audience. Many members from both our Houses had turned out to watch the event take place, the Marauders and I along with Martin and Emily and a selection of fifth years stood behind Lily and a few of her faithful little first years were at her flanks like a small, but powerful, army. Dickory had Freeth's gang, his 'friends' and a swarm of black and yellow ties complete with faces I will never be able to put names to. Even Emily managed to get herself caught up in it all as she came to start her patrol with Moony.

"I just don't get it Lily! We were fine!"

"We were certainly not 'fine'. You hated my friends and the thought of me even so much as glancing at them, or at anyone, you insisted that I hang around with the bunch of unsavoury at best characters you call your friends and yet you couldn't be polite to my best friend for ten minutes." Whereas Dickory was all fire and exclamation marks, Lily was cool as a metaphorical cucumber, stating her facts almost in monotone and frightening the poop out of most of the younger badgers. I shifted uncomfortably at the mention and Sirius, from my left, touched my back briefly. The word friends made Dickory's eyes flick to mine coldly and then up to James. All the Gryffindors tensed as we both stared right back.

"It's your fault _Potter_."

There was a pregnant pause before James started roaring with laughter. This did not have a very healthy effect on Dickory or Lily. He turned purple again and she clenched her fists, raising her voice now.

"The fact that you're a crap boyfriend, Amos, has nothing to do with James! Or Billie- or anyone!" James was still laughing though.

"How do you work that one out-"

"The fact that you're guilty because you decided to –ugh- do whatever it was you did with Sarah Freeth behind my back does not mean that I did anything, because I pride myself on being a _decent _person."

I swore rather loudly, too loudly maybe, and everyone turned to look at me. I blushed a little bit.  
"C'mon though, Dickory chose Sarah Freeth over Lily freaking Evans!" There was laughter and several jeers from the red side and I saw Emily hide her laugh as a cough in her trapped state at the other side of the corridor. "You never deserved her anyway, but that was a bad choice." James was crying now, howls of laughter escaping in between the shaking of his body. He slid down to the floor, clutching his stomach and gasping for air.

"YOU CHEATED ON LILY!" He shrieked, "WHY THE- WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU- MERLIN'S BALL SACS THAT'S HILARIOUS! AND SHE DOESN'T EVEN-" James was going to point out that yes, Dickory had cheated on our beautiful Lily, but she wasn't even that bothered. It's kind of bad how none of us were shocked, not really. In a flash, Diggory had drawn his wand.

"You can shut your mouth Potter. What was it, eh? A love potion? The Imperius curse?"

James sobered up in a second and stood at his full height so he measured a few inches taller than Dickory.

"The only way Lily would be cursed would be if she was still going out with you." He hissed. Dickory's jaw twitched.

"THIS WAS YOUR DOING POTTER! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE – BUT THIS IS ALL YOU FAULT!" And then, in his anger, he actually tried to hex my brother.

In a way, Dickory was lucky that so many people were there to watch his failed attempt at hexing a Marauder. At least they were there to catch him as James' Protego sent the spell firing straight back at him. I stifled a laugh as Sirius jumped out of his skin at the boom of McGonagall's voice behind us. He gave me a look that told me to mention it at my own peril.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here?"

We all turned round to see the stern look on her face and the threat of punishment in her eyes. James and Lily gulped simultaneously. No-one dared say anything and her eyes scanned all of our innocent faces, judging what had happened at the scene. An apologetic look was passed from Lily to her and McGonagall pursed her lips. Diggory looked like he was going to wet himself.

"Mr Diggory," He was addressed with her crisp Scottish accent, "I see no reason for you and the rest of Hufflepuff House to be out of your Common Room at this time." She glanced at James, I was surprised to see that he didn't blush, and Dickory fumed. "And I see no reason for members of my House to be out in the corridor also, however entertaining they might find a _cheap_ fight." She strode forward and the clan of Hufflepuffs shuffled back. "Now I do not wish to involve myself anymore in these petty arguments, Mr Diggory, I will escort you and the rest of your House down to your Dormitories and the rest of you shall go back into the Common Room!" With that she grabbed Dickory's arm and began to march them all away, deaf to their muttered protests.

"By the way," McGonagall switched her hawk's gaze from Dickory and onto Jess Guetting, "Miss Guetting, your last Transfiguration essay was at a much more impressive standard, I'm glad you decided to stay on the course." Despite the cool looks from the rest of the F gang, Jess blushed and smiled. She glanced back at James and mouthed a thank you. He winked in response and I nudged Sirius in the direction of Lily who had frowned and narrowed her eyes at the exchange. Padfoot scarcely raised an eyebrow in interest though. Maybe it's just me.

As the Hufflepuff procession turned the corner Dickory turned to give Lily and James a hard glare before he disappeared out of sight. There was a tense pause in which Emily scooted over to stand beside Remus and they both flushed red in greeting. Then Martin set us all off laughing again.

"WOO!" he shouted "Go McGonagall!" Lily sighed as we all started roaring and came over for a hug, which I obliged. Together, we pushed past the noisy Gryffindors and through the portrait hole (The Fat Lady was a bit peed off at us all, but hey!) before flopping down on the sofa.

"I can't believe he cheated on you!" I admitted and she frowned.

"Yeah, well, at least it-"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GO LILY!"

We didn't get the chance to finish off our conversation because Martin found us. James dragged Lily off for their patrol and Sirius tried to drag me off for a game of wizard chess. I refused and now I think he's in a mood with me. But I think Lily was going to say that at least Dickory cheating on her gave her an excuse to break up with him.

I'm just glad it's all over, none of us have to even be slightly decent to Dickory because he was a bastard who _cheated _on probably the best looking, most loveliest girl I the school – I know I'm biased but really! We have the most important quidditch match of the season so far on Saturday, against Hufflepuff, and it decides who gets to go through to the tournament in January. Those badgers better watch out, just saying.

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**A/N: **I don't like it, but it's been too long since I gave you something to read and I need something to do to avoid studying for my history essay tomorrow...

I'm really, genuinely sorry about the wait for this, chapter 46 is half written, and it's a long one with quidditch and a Billius moment so hopefully that will make up for it?

**Review, please, please, please! It'd make my day a whole lot better if you did.**


	46. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff

**A/N: **Hey guys, sorry it's taken me ages to update again! I have been busy though, what with maths exams and geography 'controlled assessments' and english mocks, I swear I haven't just been lazy and not been writing, promise.

Errrr, this chapter . . . I promised Billius, not sure, um, how well I kept that promise. Hope nobody got their hopes up too much.  
ALSO, there's a Quidditch match in this one at I'm sorry if the scores are inconsistent, my lovely beta **FezzesRCool25** pointed out that I'd done the scoring wrong and it's hard to count when you have the RENT soundtrack blasting out in your ears ok? Not that that's much of an excuse.  
AND, for some reason has decided to get rid of all the spaces where I have bold text so if I haven't corrected it properly I apologise, shake your fists at .

**ALMOST FINALLY, **I'm **3 ****chapters **away from finishing this first part of the story, I NEED to know if you guys would be too bothered if I split the story and post the second part in a new fic, in a new diary . . . I NEED TO KNOW!

**FINALLY- **THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter, your support means a load and I'm so stressed at the moment regarding exams and general teenager things it's good to know I'm doing something right with this in the least!

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**6th Dec**

**Last Practice**

**9:00pm**

Merlin! I'm Freezing! Actually freezing. I swear if the weather doesn't warm up just a little for tomorrow then we're going to turn into ice blocks on our broomsticks! And how am I supposed to kick Hufflepuff arse if I'm an ice block? I suppose I'm just lucky that I'm a Gryffindor not a Slytherin, the dungeons are frosty even in summer. Just got back from the last quidditch practice that the team's going to get before tomorrow and I'm so nervous, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. As a whole though, I think the team are confident – and the optimistic feeling is a little contagious.

"We're all aware that Diggory is going to be overly vicious tomorrow, yes?" James asked as we jogged around the pitch in an attempt to stay warm (snow must be on its way). We muttered in agreement. "I don't want any stupid playing from you, attack when you can attack, but always defend, because when we win tomorrow, I don't want it to be at the cost of one of you having to miss out playing in the actual tournament because of an injury, ok?" The whole team gave me a sly glance and I sighed.

"I promise James." I spoke out sarcastically, feeling as bitter as the cold we were running in. James just sniffed before observing the rest of us run past him.

"Sammie, Stony, I hope you're not lagging behind because you'd rather fast walk and hold hands!"

"Of course not captain!" Sammie promised with a grin before releasing John's hand and coming to run next to me at the front.

"It's ridiculous anyway." She whispered to me.

"What's ridiculous?" I murmured back, glancing at James but he was discussing something with Peter.

"Playing at this time of night in this weather." Of course, it's December now, it gets dark at about five and is supremely cold. I nodded, trying to grin but ending up just gritting my teeth against the chill. "It's bloody freezing! James wouldn't be able to see a quaffle in this light, never mind the snitch!"  
"If it's like this tomorrow winning's going to be much harder." I commented.

"We'll be great." Emmeline appeared on my right, excitable and 'goblet-half-full' as always. Neither of us said anything and Emmeline laughed. "We will!"

"Not saying that we won't be great Em, we _are_great and we're going to have badger for breakfast tomorrow – I'd just rather be sat by the fire right now, in the warmth." Sammie insisted as the three of us slowed in pace to listen to the boys' conversation.

"James, we're freezing our bits off here, we have the same chance of beating them tomorrow if we go in now and if we stay out here for another hour. You've got your patrol anyway." There was collective ooh-ing from the rest of the team.

"He wouldn't want to miss that!" Martin winked.

We all took a long shower back in the changing rooms, desperate to use up the hot water a) to warm up and b) just in case any of the Hufflepuffs wanted a last minute practice and would have to have cold showers. That'd totally build up contentment within their team.

"How's today," Sammie asked me as we were piling on as many layers as possible to make it back up to the Castle. "What with Lily and Dickory being in the same classes?" I thought back. Apart from a couple of pair changings, Lily, Frank and Alice all had a shuffle round so that Lily and Alice were paired up (Frank paired up with one of his Ravenclaw friends), and the expected glaring, nothing had been said or done.

"The same, but better." I replied, taking a moment to decide whether what I said actually made any sense. "Lily seemed a lot happier, she's answering more questions and has already done all of next week's homework."

"Ugh, she's so . . ."

"Enviable?" I guessed, because she is. It's hardly fair that she has the will power required to do her essays on the night we get them and I don't. Or she could have been going for the word: swot.

"That's the one." Phew.

To be honest though, Sammie's not unenviable herself.

"Tomorrow!" James smirked at us all as we grouped in the entrance of the castle (after racing up on our brooms, I was only third and Peter got a head start!). "Tomorrow we are going to progress to be the team that represents the United Kingdom in the upcoming tournament but, most of all, we are going to show that we are the best goddamn team in this school – that this school may have ever seen! We're not going to play dirty, we're not going to bend any of the rules, and we're just going to play honest-to-Merlin real, good quidditch. We're going to do it for ourselves, we're going to do it for Professor McGonagall and we're going to win for every single Gryffindor that ever walked these hallowed halls! Because, I refuse to lose against that _twat_and his team of jokes and dimwits, are we all together!"

"Yeah!" We cheered, all excited glances and thumps on the back. I laughed a little.

"We're not going to war James."

"Oh but Billie, we are."

And maybe we are going to war tomorrow, it does feel like it . . . a little. There was this anticipation humming through every student in the Common Room and everyone kept trying to catch my eye so they could wish me good luck. I tried only making eye contact with the Marauders but then Remus went to patrol and Sirius is always the worst of them! If the other students were humming, Sirius was literally jumping with energy I'd much rather he saved until I was on the pitch tomorrow. He makes me nervous.

**1:00am**

I managed to calm him down for a little while, when most people had gone to bed and we were left waiting until midnight for Astronomy. He was pacing up and down, fidgeting with things and giving me grins every now and again. It was driving me mad.

"Padfoot! Sit!" I commanded, pointing at a spot on the floor by my feet. Of course, after two years of being conditioned as a dog, we'd trained him well. He sat there for mere seconds before he started fiddling with the sofa, with his tie and pulling on my tights so when he let the material go it snapped back onto my leg. "Sirius." I warned him and he sighed wistfully. Without saying a word he reached out behind him and grabbed my hand, something in my chest tightened (because I had no idea what he was going to do with my hand) but he merely placed it on top of his head and waited for me to start stroking his hair. I wasn't doing anything with that hand so I figured I might as well oblige him. Besides, it was soft.

We sat like that for at least an hour.

**7th Dec**

**Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff**

**8:30am**

I've just managed to throw up everywhere. Luckily, I managed to get to the Girls' Bathrooms in time after literally sprinting out of the Great Hall. Moaning Myrtle decided that she wanted to tease me for a while about my nerves but Sirius was hot on my heels as I ran out and he demanded she leave. I thought that he'd just let me be sick and then let me clean myself up afterwards, probably crack a few jokes to cheer me up, but he was straight in there. As I emptied two slices of toast, some pumpkin juice and a whole lot of stomach acid into the toilet bowl he rubbed my back in comforting circles and whispered calm little things in my ear – without getting too close to the danger end of course, this was Padfoot.

"Ugh." I groaned, accepting the tissue he held out for me to wipe my mouth with. I could feel my tongue burning and my stomach still heaving once or twice as I began to shake with nerves again. Sirius didn't reply straight away, he flushed the toilet, shouted for Myrtle to get the – out and disappeared from the dank cubicle, returning with a glass of water. "Thanks." My throat was hoarse. I took a gulp, swilled my mouth out a little and spit into the toilet again, avoiding Sirius' gaze which I could feel on my face.

"Better?" He asked, surprising me still as he joined me on the bathroom floor, regardless of whatever nasty 'germs' might inhabit his cloak, sitting still as a statue. All his nervous energy that was plaguing me last night had gone and he was being a sort of rock, something to cling on to at least. My hands were shaking, so I downed the remaining water in the glass and put it down before grabbing his. He was still staring.

"A little." There was an awkward pause. "Thank you."

Finally, Sirius broke his gaze.

"Tell me why you're nervous," He spoke in an almost whisper, "Just little bits at a time, like a list, until it's all gone." I felt a big swell of something in my stomach and squeezed Sirius' hands tight. I met his eyes and saw no mockery, only concern. I nodded, swallowing.

"If we don't win we're not going to get to play quidditch again this year." I inhaled deeply, "Diggory is going to be absolutely brutal because of what's happened with him and Lily and although I pretended not to really be fussed, I don't want another run-in with a bludger because it _hurts_. Everyone expects us to win and I don't know if I can take the shame and the disappointment of everyone if we lose – What if it's my fault and I let the whole team down, and the House down and McGonagall and my parents? What if Lily gets back with Dickory because James prats about out there? What if Dickory hurts James? It's too cold to stop moving out there, and I'm worried out playing will be affected by it, even you're wearing a _robe_and not just that ridiculous red t-shirt!" Silently, Sirius undid his top button to reveal the scarlet of his quidditch shirt and I rolled my eyes. "Sirius?"

"Mhm?"

"What if we _do_lose?" Padfoot released my hands and placed his either side of my head, thumbs resting against what I presume were pale cheeks. My breathing stuttered as I tried not to be sick again, my nervousness was not helped by the sudden onslaught of Broom Cupboard flashbacks I was having. Not having. He was so close, in that tiny, grotty, cubicle.

"You will always be the greatest chaser, and the greatest quidditch team I know."

I didn't feel relieved, but a rush of affection for the boy. Jen Parker, Holyhead Harpies. She's the best chaser and they're the best quidditch team I know.

"'M not though."

"You _are_though." He dropped his hands from my face and folded them awkwardly in his lap. I missed the contact. His steely eyes were so full of confidence; I felt it as a physical pain. "Billie . . ." I saw him bite his lip a little as he lost whatever words were on the tip of his tongue. Sniffing, I grabbed the empty glass of water, heaved myself up and wobbled over to the sinks. Sirius watched me with an arched eyebrow before following.

"Oh poor little Potter, must be horrible feeling nervous about playing quidditch. AT LEAST YOU CAN ACTUALLY-"

"SHUT THE HINKY PUNK UP, BITCH!" I roared despite my sandpaper throat, twisting the tap on so furiously that I almost doused myself in water. Moaning Myrtle wailed right in my ear before throwing herself down the plughole. Good riddance too. A rough chuckle made me glance up to see the reflection of a smirking Padfoot. I blushed. "What?" I hadn't even taken a sip when the glass was plucked out of my hand and I was enveloped in a tight hug, it sounds stupid, but like last night, I could _feel_the excitement rolling off him in waves. It made me want to be sick again. "Sirius!" I moaned, somehow managing to explain all my worries in the way I said his name. He released me, not fully, holding me at arm's length so I could receive a stern look.

"Right, Potter! You listen to me! You're going to go out there, play your little arse off, score a record number of goals, James is going to catch the snitch and you're going to win. And then we shall have a huge party and I shall get drunk and be happy."

I felt a little bit better.

"Do you still have the 'I Love Potters Banner'?" I asked jokingly and Sirius' grinned like a madman.

"But of course!"

"Right-o. Good lad, now go check on James."

"What? And leave you?" Sirius seemed strangely horrified at the idea, I decided to shrug it off, shrugging _him_off my shoulders. "But-?"

"I'll be fine!"

"You're still pale!" He protested, I slapped my hands against my cheeks to bring colour to them. "Billie." He was trying on his strict voice but I gestured towards the door. I just needed a few minutes to calm myself down, despite how supportive he was being.

"Go!"

"Billie!"

"I don't need you to hold my hand Sirius!"

To be fair, it wasn't the best thing I could have said, especially with how kind he was being. Sirius looked as if I'd just verbally slapped him round the face, perhaps I did, and after murmuring a "Fine, good luck then." and giving me such a strange (hurt?) look, he marched straight out.

This is me now, calming myself down in the corner of the Girls' Bathroom, I should be warming up in the changing rooms with the others and listening to James' pep talk. But-

But I'm not even worried about the quidditch anymore, we will win, Sirius said so, I'm more concerned about the way that prat left, whether he's in a mood with me or not. I can't even bring myself to feel slightly niggly about the vicious Hufflepuffs out there.

There's something _wrong_with me.

**11:00am**

WE WON! We actually did it!

We were right, at practice, those badgers were out for our **blood**, three of them received cautions for near fouls, but we beat them and now . . . Now we're school champions, we'll be representing the school and the whole of the UK in the tournament! I'm on such a high right now! I'm really not surprised everyone's buggered off, Sirius can't be the only one to emit excited waves, can he?

I missed James' pep talk, how bad am I? He wasn't too happy with me but then Peter blurted out:  
"Billie! You look like you've seen a ghost!" to which Sammie replied,

"Peter! Don't be harsh, some people just get sick when they've nervous!" I nearly curled up in a ball of embarrassment but at least it got James off my back.

"Sure you're ok?" He whispered in the seconds before we took off, flexing his fingers as Dickory had nearly crushed them when they shook hands. I mustered up a cocky grin to placate us both, wishing I'd had another glass of water.

"Aye, aye Capp'n!" Just as I gave my mock salute the whistle blew for us to take our first lap, the boos from the other three houses barely recognisable underneath the roars for us.

Sirius had, indeed, salvaged the Potters banner and was waving it around like an escaped convict – madman, he is. With an eyeroll, I noticed he had removed his robe and was merely clad in that scalding red t-shirt he has. The wind was whipping us about like it wanted us to fall to our deaths, it was at least -2 degrees, easily cold enough for it to snow, and the black clouds above vowed to rain. If I was 'cold' (I was FREEZING) then Padfoot should be an icicle right now, defrosting in the hospital wing.

The first five minutes of the game were by far the hardest. My teeth were chattering like mad because I hadn't adjusted to the cold yet and everyone was still getting in to the game and sorting out their tactics. **Oh ****and ****that****'****s ****a ****goal ****for ****Amos ****Diggory! ****Hufflepuff ****lead ****10**** – ****0!**This was shortly followed by another attempt at our goal. **Excellent ****save ****there ****by ****Vance!**And I'm certain Professor Jubential made some kind of comment about me as I was going in to shoot, the crowds laughed anyway. Probably about my bones. **And ****that ****puts ****Gryffindor ****level ****at ****10**** – ****10!**

Speaking of my bones, apparently me breaking them once wasn't good enough for the Hufflepuffs. Everywhere I flew one of them was trying to fly into me, knock me off, for there were bludgers shooting towards my head. Martin and Peter were sticking close to James and I, we were definitely targets of the fury.

"You know you might be able to score more if you try to intercept the quaffle instead of just trying to HIT ME!" I taunted, slightly angry, after John had made it 20 – 10 to us. I watched as Dickory flushed an ugly red, a mix of anger and chagrin before zooming off to instruct his players to re-double their efforts to maim me. A bludger skimmed past my head as I rose into a place where Sammie could pass to me. A slightly hysterical laugh escaped my lips.

"Watch yourself Billie!" John cautioned as he whizzed past, a mere red blur. My sarcastic reply was lost to the wind.

Ten minutes later we had raised our points to 40, after I scored again and Sammie popped in an excellent shot from the left that somehow made its way through the goalie's legs and into the right hoop. The roar from the lions was phenomenal and as the quaffle was returned to play I allowed myself to scan the crowd for the boys.

Sirius hadn't put his cloak back on yet. He had one arm flung around Remus and one around Wormtail, they were both dressed more appropriately. Lily and Emily were stood a little to Remus' left, Emily waving the I Love Potters banner like she was born to do it. It always amuses me how traitorous people become during quidditch matches, I'm sure Jade would _die_if she saw Emily with that - it's great.

"What on earth is James doing?" Martin came to hover by my side for a brief moment, eyes glinting with 'wind tears' as he nodded over to the teacher's box. James was talking to the Jubemaster who was laughing furiously. **Ok! ****Special ****announcement ****for ****Sirius ****Black****.****.****.**Remarkably, the crowds fell silent, I know I was all ears. **.****.****.****From ****James ****Potter. ****He ****requires ****you****re place ****your ****robe ****on ****your ****person ****because , ****I ****quote, ****he****'****s ****not ****panda-ing ****to ****you ****all ****holiday ****if ****you ****get ****a ****cold! **There were loud jeers from the crowd, laughing and a few people started chanting something I couldn't quite make out before Sirius cast a sonorus and replied:

"It's alright mum, I've actually heard of a _warming__charm_."

And then, Hufflepuff obviously got tired of waiting, **C****'****mon ****Gryffindor, ****stop ****daydreaming!**– and were already at the midline of the pitch when we intercepted the quaffle again.

After spotting the snitch twice, laughing as Emmeline flirted shamelessly with the Hufflepuff seeker to distract him, laughing even harder when Martin joined in, SEVERELY distracting him – **What ****are ****those ****Gryffindors ****doing ****to ****Hall? ****That ****poor ****seeker! ****Emmeline ****Vance! ****Turn ****off ****your ****charms! **_**Goldsburg?**_** – **and three near misses with a bludger later, I had scored again. **That****'****s ****a ****hatrick ****from ****Potter!**

And then the badgers literally went crazy.

In the twelve minutes between my last goal and James catching the snitch, three Hufflepuff players were cautioned for near fouls. The first was the seeker, Hall 07, when he lashed out at Martin who was flying directly above him constantly, leaving only to aim a bludger at another player. Martin was also told to keep his distance. The second was given to a sniffle-y Huffleslut chaser, Sheldon 07, after she deliberately rammed into me. And when I say rammed – I mean RAMMED.

"OW! Merlin!" _She_squealed as she hurled herself sideways and met with my pathetically bony excuse for a shoulder (for the first time I would thank Wizard God that I was all angles and muscle rather than having the more appealing option of Lily and Alice's girly curves.) Madame Hooch's whistle blew and she zoomed over as the game halted for a second time.

**That was deliberate.  
**

Hooch agreed and gave the snotty nosed 5th year a scolding before assuring her: "Anymore of _that_and I'll have you off this pitch and out of the team before you can say quidditch!"

You can't deny, Madame Hooch has SWAGGER.

Of course, Diggory was the last to be cautioned, somehow he managed to get in an argument with James while my brother circled higher and higher, ignoring him. With Diggory distracted it miraculously helped the Hufflepuffs to score for a third time.

I nearly scored too, it would have made the scores 60-30, but just as I was about to shoot, that offensive whistle blew again and the red crowd booed and cried in dismay. I shared an annoyed look with Sammie and raised my hands in indignation. Diggory and James were called to fly down and despite our curiosity, nobody dared to inch into earshot.

Seriously though, I have seen. Aubergines. More. Purple.

We were ordered back into the centre positions, as much as it irked me. Just as we were pushing into the Hufflepuffs' upper third Hall caught sight of the snitch, hurling towards it so fast, James would never be able to reach him in time.

**Oohhh ****Hall****'****s ****going ****to ****catch ****the - ****WHOA! ****Amazing ****aim ****there ****from ****Mini-Goldsburg, ****simply ****beautiful, ****and ****may ****I ****remind ****you ****that ****he ****is ****the ****youngest ****player ****in ****the ****entire ****house ****teams!**

Peter's bludger hit the tail-end of Hall's Cleansweep (seriously, it doesn't take Dumbledore to know that even a nimbus 50 is better than that mop) and he spun round 180 degrees, looking rather dazed. The red sea burst into applause and whistles and I heard the snotty Sheldon girl curse loudly from above me. James threw himself into a jaw dropping dive, flying past Hall and almost, almost crashing before he jerked upright, the snitch held triumphantly aloft. **And ****James ****Potter ****has ****caught ****the ****snitch! ****Gryffindor ****win ****210-30!**

"YES!" I screamed, punching the air and relishing the rush of warmth and adrenaline that protected me from the freeze. I darted over to join the Gryffindor huddle, clocking James' offer of a handshake to Diggory and being rebuffed with a disgusted look. I wondered if I should attempt a show of sportsmanship but the look on my closest Hufflepuff players' faces told me to approach them if I dared.

"We did it!" Emmeline was cheering when I reached them. Identical grins split James and my 'identical' faces. The group parted a little as we pulled each other into a huge embrace, whatever James was whispering in my ear lost under the wind and the joyous woops from our team.

"Well done kidda!" I managed to make out. He ruffled my hair with difficulty as it was pulled back into a thick, black ponytail. I ruffled his back with much more success and Peter laughed as it stuck up in odd angles.

"Victory lap!" Martin called, zooming off. With competitive grins, we all followed.

Madame Hooch's whistle called for us to dismount and the whole stadium fell silent as Dumbledore rose to speak.

"And so, the Hogwarts Champions, the team that will go forth into next year's tournament is . . . GRYFFINDOR!"

The stands erupted with noise, cheers and chants from the Gryffindors far outweighing the others. Suddenly, the pitch was flooded by the Gryffindor crowd, all hurtling towards us, grinning and shouting. Padfoot and Lily were sprinting ahead of the pack (the ginger is fast, scarily fast.) and both James and I were nearly bowled over as they smashed into us.

"WOOO!" Was the ever eloquent congratulations I received from Lily as she released me, hair bouncing up and down as she jumped with excitement. I scarcely had time to grin at her before the fat lump named Sirius Black crushed me in his arms, my rudeness in the toilets apparently forgotten.

"CHAMPION!" He yelled, warm to the touch despite his lack of outdoor-clothing. I couldn't breathe, he was squeezing me that tight.

"Ack, Padfoot! Need. Oxygen." He let me go but not before planting a big kiss on my fodder with a cheeky grin.

"Oi Padfoot, don't molest the star chaser." Remus and Emily strode over, walking perhaps a little too close to each other than necessary. Moony smirked brilliantly and Emily was trying to hide her euphoria for fear of being a complete traitor to her House. I hugged them both in turn.

"No molestation here mum, _I__solemnly__swear._" Remus and I added the '_that__I__am__up__to__no__good_'' in our heads and rolled our eyes as the animagus menace scampered off to congratulate the others, or shout rude things at the Hufflepuffs – something like that anyway. I said a few words to Moony and Emily and gave Pete a celebratory hug and a high-five before some shouting made us all look round.

It was Sirius, naturally.

"C'mon Evans! Hug the bastard!"

"I said congratulations!" Lily protested, turning pink and not making eye contact with James. They were stood about a metre away from each other, Sirius in the middle, and the whole Gryffindor House round the sides watching.

"Hug!" I joined in, vindictively enjoying the mutinous looks from both of them.

"Huuuuuuug!" Sirius had stretched out his arms to bring them closer together.

"Touch me and I will _bite_you." Lily warned but he pushed them closer anyway.

"Bite James, I hear he likes that sort of thing." Padfoot whispered and everyone who heard burst out laughing, even Lily when she saw James' scandalised face.

"That's hardly –mph!"

The two of them were pushed into each other with a bump and rather awkwardly, wrapped their arms round the other.

"Where's Dickory when you need to crush him some more?" Wormtail mumbled to me and I snorted with laughter.

Lily and James broke apart quickly, as if they had been electrocuted, at the catcalls and whistles of the mass of Gryffindors surrounding them. James, bless him, turned a rosy shade and Lily spluttered:

"Yes, well, well done Potter."

"I, er, thanks?"

Lily hurried away, blushing a little at the sly grin I shot her. My brother scowled at me as I pinched his cheeks.

"Aww Ickle Jamsie! All embarrassed because he got a hug off Lily Evans!"

"Sod off Billie!" He pushed me into Sirius without much force but Padfoot decided to grab me and spin me round so I didn't get to wind up James again.

"You won!"

"I know!"

"I know you know, but . . . You WON!"

"Iknow!"

"You know what this means . . ." He fixed me with a very solemn look, eyes as grey as the sky.

"That, I don't know." We had begun to follow the crowd in the direction of the castle, little red sheep.

"Well, with you playing all these fancy foreign teams . . ." An arm was flung around my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to need a better banner!"

I still can't believe it. By the end of the year, we could be European champions. I know, it's a big dream because the teams in Europe will be more than just school teams, they'll have proper coaches (no offence James) and proper training methods and they'll have tonnes more experience. But it's possible. Now that is a CRAZY thought.

Wow. It's hard to believe that mere hours ago I was crouching on the floor of a toilet cubicle throwing up, and now I feel top of the world! I'm going to find the others, if they haven't started celebrating properly yet, I'm going to make them!

**8th Dec**

**11:00am**

Oh sweet and bearded Wizard GOD.

My poor little head!

We had a party and- Oh Merlin my head! – you always know it's been a good one when you wake up with the word 'legend' spray painted onto your belly (there's a #1 next to it so I'm presuming James got the same treatment). I can't really remember, not even things from ten minutes ago.

But I do remember some bits:

1. Peter got man of the match, completely deservedly, and we had a butterbeer toast in his honour. Sirius tutted and frowned for about an hour afterwards, saying that I should have got it. Then I told him to shut up or I'd get Martin to shut him up. He did.

2. The party was strictly for Gryffindors, James' idea, by the time I remembered about Emily, the motion had passed and she couldn't come.

-Seriously, I need some kind of potion or something!

3. At about 11, someone, I think it was McGonagall, came to tell us to stop. I remember putting forward a very successful argument about why the party should continue, even with my firewhiskey-addled brain.

4. Sirius kissed everyone.  
Not me obviously, or Lily, or Alice, or Sammie. Well, he didn't kiss _everyone,_but he did kiss a lot of girls.

5. James made Sirius stop kissing everyone.

6. It was Martin and Emmeline with the cans of paint. I think they'll be getting detentions today because I'm pretty sure they won't have just been spraying us . . .

I need . . . sleep.

**6:00pm**

Slightly nervous about this spray paint. I've had two showers and I've even tried using the nailbrushto get it off. Now it's still a strong red colour, rather like my mauled skin surrounding it.

I spoke to the rest of the team, they've been sprayed too. James has got Legend #2 (and then had to endure my smug smiles all afternoon because I was the top legend in the team). Sammie and John's were quite funny, on their stomachs, sprayed in Emmeline's decidedly girlie script, are the words 'Property of' and the other's name. John was silently fuming. Apparently having your girlfriend's name stuck on your stomach isn't _that_ cool.

Lily was sat by herself today at dinner and, ignoring the rather childish protests from Padfoot, I went to join her.

"Hey?" I half asked, she was reading a musty potions book and set it flat on the table, grinning at me.

"You're alive!" I stuck my tongue out at her and helped myself to the roast chicken in front of me.  
"Just about." She smirked at my sarcastic reply.

"You were asleep for over six hours, I had to come in and poke you twice to make sure you had drunk some poisoned firewhiskey." I giggled at the mental image and we fell into a comfortable silence, just eating and snorting into our pumpkin juices as we caught the butt end of a third year argument. "What a night though, eh?" A mischievous glint appeared in Lily's green eyes. "Sirius looked like he was having a nice time . . ." She smirked again and I felt a small prickle of panic in the pit of my stomach, what did she _know_? I thought back to what I could remember of Sirius' antics last night but found nothing except pictures of his lips glued to some girl's. I didn't think back to the Broom Cupboard because that wouldn't be relevant. I sniffed.

"Wouldn't know, didn't talk to him much, he usually enjoys parties though." A ginger eyebrow quirked up at me – I didn't like what she was implying one bit. We stared at each other for a few seconds until Lily dropped whatever she thought she had.

"How's the paint?"

"Raw." I replied with a wince as I shifted and it throbbed in response after my over-zealous scrubbing earlier. Yet, even after that, you could still see the word clear as day.

"Oh, it'll take ages for that to come off fully."

"You could have told Martin and Emmeline that last night!" I muttered a little sourly. Lily shot me an authoritative look.  
"No I couldn't because _some__of__us_went to bed at a decent hour instead of consuming far too much alcohol and collapsing in the middle of the Common Room floor." She tried to hold her stern gaze but ended up giggling. "Clutching Peter Pettigrew like a teddy bear!"

"Oh shush!" I began laughing too, "Were you not tempted to _accidentally_collapse on James?"

Lily gasped in mock horror.

"Billie! I have standards!"

I almost choked on a bit of chicken due to my outburst of mirth. From up the table, James gave me a worried glance and Sirius glared.

"Lily, you-"

"Alright, alright!" she hissed, cheeks matching her hair. "Fine! I went out with someone who wasn't . . . yeah . . . but that does NOT mean that I like your brother in any other way than a barely-there friendship!" I snorted.

"Barely-there? You hugged yesterday!"

Her glare made me laugh.

"Are you nearly done with that chicken? You're picking at it and it's annoying me."

"Yes mum!"

**11:00pm**

Sirius is in a mood with me.

Why?

Because he's a grumpy _git,_that's why.

Lily took me up to the library with her after dinner and I caught another half an hour nap while she sorted books out and did her extra potions work. When we got back, me in an increasingly drowsy and cranky state, it was time for James and Lily to do their patrol. I went and sat down next to Sirius on the sofa, watching Remus and Wormy's really close chess game.

"Hello?" I asked when he didn't even acknowledge my presence as I joined him. He turned to look at me like you would look at a stranger who greeted you like an old friend. "What?"

"Oh, so I exist now?" His tone was low so only I could hear it but it had a bitter edge to it nonetheless.

"What?" I repeated, utterly confused, how had I been pretending he didn't exist? True, I didn't sit with the boys at dinner but none of the others are pissy with me! They all smiled when I said hi to them (except Pete, but he was concentrating on his next move.).

"I was just wondering why you're talking to me now when you haven't bothered all day?"

My jaw dropped open in outrage.

"I've been _asleep_all day Sirius." I hissed, he turned away from me and I resisted the urge to slap him.

"So you couldn't have sat with us for two minutes at dinner?" He spoke after a minute.

"If it mattered so much why didn't you come and sit with us?" It was his turn to stare, gaping. "There's no law that says you can't sit with Lily and I – although if there was you'd be more likely to want to." '

He gave me a cold look, which I returned.

"Doesn't change the fact that you've been ignoring me."

"Well, you've hardly made an effort! You barely said a word to me last night, or today!" He shifted (uncomfortably?) and glanced over at the chess match, Peter was under five moves from winning.

"I don't know what you mean."  
"Thestral crap you don't!" I spat, "Maybe I'm referring to the fact that James had to forcibly remove you from the tenth girl you were kissing to get you to talk to him."

"You counted?" Sirius gave me an oddly intrigued look and with more effort than expected, I managed not to blush.

"You counted?" I countered and I swear I heard him growl.

"Why does it matter?" He snapped, glancing quickly around the room to make sure nobody was watching us, and then huffed at my cool response.

"Oh I assure you, it doesn't. You can please yourself, but when you get all cold with me because I've been asleep all day and then didn't want to leave Lily sat by herself – that's when it matters.

"So you just do whatever Lily wants now then?"

"As opposed to doing what you want?" I scowled, "No Sirius, I do what I want. And right now I _want_to hit you for being such a hypo-"

It was at that moment that Remus, obliviously of course, plonked himself down on the sofa, the impact causing me to slide down so Sirius and I were sat thigh-to-thigh. I shifted away immediately, the touch burnt.

"I admit defeat!" Remus exclaimed, running a hand through his straw-like hair and leaving a large tuft of it sticking up. Sirius and I sat there in a sort of stupor, each waiting for the other to say something. Eventually we did – at exactly the same time.  
"Aw, too bad."

Remus laughed and Peter made a, "Whoa, make a wish!" comment as he joined us.

I did **not**make a wish.

Instead I got up, making sure I stood on Sirius' foot as I did so.

"Here, Pete sit here, I'm off to bed anyway."

"Billie?" Remus asked, standing up so I could hug him goodnight. I smoothed down the funny little tuft. "Are you alright?" He whispered the last part.  
"Yeah, course." I managed a genuine smile, after all, I wasn't mad at _him_ was I? Plus, it was nice to watch Sirius' face darken out of the corner of my eye.

I said goodnight to Pete and then marched straight upstairs, ignoring Sirius. I might as well commit the crime I have been sentenced for!

Just as I turned the corner of the spiral staircase, I heard Remus ask.

"What have you done _now_?"

But common sense (and the weird look I got from one of the first years who had eight legs at Halloween) told me I shouldn't hang around on the stairs to eavesdrop. Besides, Remus was off to patrol in a few minutes, I wouldn't have heard much.

Ugh, it's Monday tomorrow.

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**A/N: **Please review and tell me your thoughts on the chapter and the splitting of the story, just give me some love please:)


	47. Of Full Moons and Elven Bells

**A/N: **Hello all! As i was kindly reminded by the mysterious anon reviewer '**ME**' a few days ago, it has been about a month since I last updated. BUT! This is quite a Christmassy chapter and it's sort of turned out well because we're in Christmas season now . . . I know, it's a lame excuse but I've even beta-d this chapter myself to make sure it was updated quicker so now there is no-one else to blame for mistakes.

**I should mention: **that this chapter is not all my own brainchild, part of it (the part involving a certain Hufflepuff) was from the amazing - I really hope I've done your idea justice and that everyone gets the joke I put in, because if not it would be a bit awkward.

As always, thank you to the people who reviewed! _Te quiero guys!_ I am going to split the story into two in a few chapters so you might want to stick me on author alert if you're desperate to read the next chapter straight away but I think I'm going to put a little note at the end of the story explaining what I'm going to do so I'll put a link there anyway. **What do I call this new story though? **

**One last thing: **congratulations (I hope) to anyone who got any exam results back this week, I know I was thrilled with mine and I hope everyone else was!

Enjoy the chapter, it's written in a slightly different style to the others at the beginning, hope no-one finds it too strange. Plus, there is so much love in this chapter . . . must be Christmas!

* * *

**11th Dec  
****Bad Dreams**

**11:00pm**

Oh Merlin, what was I thinking? I should have gone to Sir's room to spend the night but now it's edging closer to midnight and I'm up here in the Astronomy tower, waiting for Professor Hector to come and tell me to clear off because he's teaching. Perhaps he'd try to give me a detention but then realise it wasn't a snogging couple up here, just me. Perfectly alone, waiting for Professor Hector, for his class of students to gawk at me – for anyone or anything to take my mind off the sodding moon and all its beauty and all the worry it gives me.

Remus has always said he wishes the full moon wasn't so beautiful so then he wouldn't feel so bad about not being able to see it in human form ever again.

I've been following the boys on the map. It only makes me more aware that they are out there in the Forbidden Forest (which is forbidden for a REASON! I haven't forgotten my almost run in with whatever it was that time when me and Sirius fell out feeding the thestrals) running about with an almost full grown werewolf, although it's mainly Remus I worry about. But at least I know they're all together. They're quite close to the edge of the forest at the moment, in fact-

-I can see them.

What are they doing? Anyone who is looking about of their window and who happens to notice the peculiar hulking mass at the edge of the forest could see them! Moony can't help where he goes, but surely the others should be herding him back into the dark, pronto. Here they come now, Wormtail is balancing on top of Prongs' antlers, he's brave, those things are pointy, and the large stag is prancing about on the werewolf's outer flank, ensuring he doesn't stray any further out onto the moonlit grass at the edge of the trees. Padfoot, silly little Padfoot, who in the less desirable human form is still barely talking to me because I 'ignored him at the weekend', is barking and nipping at the great Moony, trying to get him to chase him back into cover.

It's horrible, seeing them, even though now I know they're all ok. It's like I'm there but I'm not, I've never been so attached to the group on a Full Moon night as I've never seen them all together before, but never so far away.

I wanted to join them, I wanted to. Back in Fifth Year when Remus and I nearly fell out irrevocably, well, I nearly fell out with all of them. I had helped them research animagi, helped them with the potions and the spells but the day before the agreed transfiguration date the three of them turned around and said it wasn't safe for me to join them. I didn't care how many facts and figures they threw at me about how much more dangerous it was for both me _and_ Remus (the sentence for killing a man is a stint in Azkaban, the sentence for killing a woman is death) – it was betrayal, we all knew it.

I was slowly getting used to the fact that the boys didn't want me in their secret animagus circle when the incident with Snape's underwear brought me Lily's friendship and her mine in return.

They're still just within view of someone with a vantage point like mine. I swear I could hear Padfoot barking again a few seconds ago and-

-Oh Merlin, why am I crying?

I should've gone to Professor Jubential's room; we could have talked about quidditch with some butterbeer, laughed at the weird little anecdotes of Sir's life and the ones I dare divulge of mine.

See it's stupid, I couldn't tell Sir why I was so upset that I'm crying even if I did go see him because I have to be silent about this whole affair that is too 'dangerous' for me to be a part of.

Forget this, I'm going to go back to the Boys' Dormitory, I'm going to find that hoodie of Sirius' – I don't give a Hinky Punk's left nipple if he's still mad at me – I'm going to put Non-Stop Weird Sisters on, I'm going to rummage amongst his quidditch magazines until I find this week's and I am going to curl up and sleep. I might even steal James' quilt if I am feeling that way.

That's what I'm going to do.

**12th Dec  
****9:45am**

I had the most horrible dream last night, truly, honest to Merlin, horrible. I woke up crying (again, Merlin) and boy, am I glad I slept in Sirius' bed last night, our argument be damned.

The first thing I remember from this morning was some warm hands tapping my back and shaking my shoulders gently.  
"Billie!" Sirius.

I opened my eyes and the tears that had built up behind my eyelids while I slept (and had that HORRIBLE dream), spilled out down my cheeks. I found myself barely an inch away from Sirius' face, his previously cold eyes meeting mine with baffling concern. I blinked a few times and steadied my ragged breathing before taking in my surroundings. The light, making a thin strip of white on the duvet cover by my feet, was dull suggesting that it was quite early. I breathed a sigh of relief; maybe I could get away without James seeing me. He freaks out if he knows I've been crying, over-protective sod. The thought of James, Prongs, nearly set me off crying again.

Somehow, during the night, when Sirius had come back to bed, I had wrapped my arms around his torso and squished myself up against him. Unconsciously, of course, I'd spent half the 'morning' curled up with him in my needy almost-head-lock. It was a relief to find he was hugging me back just as tightly though.

We were chest to chest and eye to eye, his worried and mine watery. I scanned his face and saw an almost unnoticeable cut on the fleshy part of his nose and the deep, purple rings under his eyes, contrasting oddly pleasantly, with his ghostly skin.

"Billie?" He whispered and I gave a tiny shake of my head. Slowly, like I was going to shatter (or explode) he lifted me up so we were both sat on his bed, surrounded by a nest of quilts and blankets (I did steal James').  
"I had a bad dream." I coughed a laugh despite myself, "Sorry." Sirius frowned.  
"Why are you sorry? You can't help it."  
"I-well, we-" I tried to explain it was because we'd fallen out and I thought that he wouldn't want me snotting on him after he'd been 'ignored', but at that moment the curtains flung open and James stood there, clad only in his boxers, glasses askew and hair even more unfortunate than usual.

"Billie! What happened?"  
"Bad dream." I lowered my face feeling quite ashamed. James' look of panic remained for a second then softened into a smile.  
"Are you ok?" Sirius shifted up the bed so James could sit down but I noticed his hand never let my arm. I sniffed pathetically.  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
"You didn't look fine about five minutes ago." Sirius muttered and James gave him a look I couldn't place before looking at me sympathetically.  
"Come here you silly . . ."  
"Billie?" I offered, accepting the embrace and watching Sirius watch us out of the corner of my eye.  
"Fine, use the cliché!" He released me and I flopped back onto the bed.

"Ugh."  
"What to talk about it?" James asked. I shook my head and let out another groan.  
"You'll have to tell Remus about it, he does Divination, he'll be able to tell you what it all means." Sirius spoke quietly. I gave him an unintentionally cold look.  
"I'm not telling Remus." There was a moment of startled silence in which the two boys shared an uneasy glance. I jumped as James clapped his hands.

"Right! Well! I'm off for a shower! Stay as long as you like Bills." With an over-cheerful smile, my twin darted into the bathroom, knocking the protruding feet of the snoring Peter as he passed. That's just how it's been the last few days, as soon as anything gets tense between Sirius and I the others go super-happy and then scarper. Not that I blame them.

Sirius crawled back under the covers, wrapping himself up so only his head was poking out. He looked deathly pale and tired as anything. His purple-rimmed eyes fell shut as I reached out to stroke his hair.

"You could be a member of the Headless Hunt." I joked, not knowing what to say. He exhaled in amusement.  
"Nearly Headless Nick would be forever envious." We fell back into silence after my small 'mm' of agreement.  
"Are you ok?" I blurted out, probably just as he fell asleep.  
"What?" He grumbled in annoyance before realising where he was and what I was saying. "Am I ok, did you ask?"  
"Yeah."  
"I'm just tired because the three hours of sleep I might have had were broken by someone tossing and turning before clinging on to me like a limpet for about an hour before I realise that I wasn't going to fall back asleep and that person was crying and I'd best wake her up."

I blushed furiously and let him talk, not trusting my voice not to crack if I spoke. Sirius gave up on sleep (again – I feel horrible) and sat up, joining me with his back resting against the graffiti-ed headboard.

"Your bad dream . . . It was about us wasn't it?" I looked and him, partly horrified, partly ashamed and he raised a hand to still my objections. "Ok, ok, well it had us in it at least – you were mumbling in your sleep . . . you said my name quite a lot." I burned red with embarrassment again but Sirius didn't so much as snicker. "Billie, please tell me what happened in your dream, I want to know what made you so upset." And the puppy dog eyes were back with a vengeance. In self defence, I clasped a still sweaty hand over his eyes and in return, he pulled me into a hug, his arms tight around my middle so I couldn't escape. Not that I tried. Instead, I burrowed my head into his shoulder, happy that the streak of not talking to each other had been broken, sad because it took such a terrible dream to do it.

"Promise you won't laugh?" My voice was muffled by the cotton of his Weird Sisters top.  
"I promise."

"Well," I began shakily and quietly so James wouldn't overhear and Peter wouldn't wake up, "I was in the Forbidden Forest, and it was pitch black. I think I had gone looking for you all because you hadn't come back to the dorm . . . something like that." I took a deep breath and Sirius rubbed my back comfortingly. "I came across this clearing in the middle of nowhere and you were all there – Oh Merlin, it sounds so stupid now!" I was on the verge of tears again. I don't know why I'm crying so much at the moment, well, in the last 24 hours. It's not as if I particularly enjoy crying on Sirius' shoulder. Don't think he appreciates it either.  
"It's ok," Padfoot soothed anyway, "Go on." I took another deep breath.  
"This clearing, you were all there, you, James, Peter and Remus and . . . you were all in these cages, like they were going to ship you away. Except, you weren't you at all, you weren't in human form in the least, but you weren't human at all."

I recalled the snarling black form pf Padfoot behind the rusty metal bars, staring at me with Sirius' grey eyes, but they _weren__'__t_. Because Sirius would never look at me like he wanted nothing more than to tear me apart. "But Remus was the worst." Sirius' grip on my back tightened considerably. "He kept," I grappled for the right word, "Changing. Changing and changing and screaming and screaming."

It was exactly how the Transformation of a Werewolf was drawn in all six excruciating stages in that book I found in the library when we were only in Third Year. I had stared at the page in horror before James ripped it out of my hands, telling me I wasn't to go looking at things like that. Hypocrite.

In my dream Remus would appear as himself, his sweater vest, though ripped was still present, gasping for breath and clutching his ribs. Suddenly, his ribs cracked in two and dream-Remus would howl in pain, eyes agonized, before his pupils dilated in the reflection of the moon and he became the Wolf. He would growl at me and lunge at the bars that kept me safe by ensnared them all. Then, the snapping and shortening of the bones, serenaded by Remus' haunting screams and Remus appeared in the cage again. The cycle would repeat.

"Does he always scream, Sirius?" My voice was scarcely more than a whisper but by the way Sirius tensed, I knew he'd heard. Sirius paused to think. Paused to wonder if he should tell me or not.  
"Yes. He always screams."

And I know why the four of them didn't want me to be an animagus, to join them on their monthly jaunts. It wasn't anything to do with excluding me, or them not wanting me there even though it's always felt that way. I would've have been able to stand it. The screaming.

Some Gryffindor I am.

"Come here." I told him, grabbing my wand off the bedside table. I'm not sure what he was expecting, but he certainly looked surprised when I cast one of my better healing charms and the small cut on his nose disappeared. I am ignoring the fact he also looked incredibly weary. The sound of James plodding around in the bathroom meant he was about to enter the room.

I shifted out of Sirius' grip and brushed his fringe out of his face.

"Thank you." I smiled, slowly getting out of the bed. Sirius touched the now smooth skin on his nose.  
"Thank you." He said.

**12:30pm**

Just been to see Moony – Remus. Remus. Unusually, Madame Pomfrey didn't put up a fight as the four of us, Sirius, Peter, James and I, bustled though the Hospital Wing door. Remus was sat up reading in his usual bed, hand pausing to pick up another hunk of chocolate as he finished a particularly riveting sentence. Padfoot- Sirius, bounded ahead and Remus' face split into a slightly exasperated grin as the three boys skidded into his bed.

"Just because Poppy has ignored your presence for now doesn't mean she will continue to do so." Remus warned, the quirk of his lips giving away that he was actually happy to see us, his voice much less hoarse than I'd have expected. From the screaming.  
"Shut up Moony, and give us some of that chocolate, I think I need the sugar." Sirius sat down on Remus' bed and folded his legs beneath him. James tutted, joining Sirius on the already sagging mattress while Peter opted for the chair next to the bed. I was left there standing awkwardly, blushing a little as all four pairs of eyes fell on my face.

"Um, I'll just, er . . ." I looked around for a place to perch but found none until Remus shifted delicately to the left, making room. "Thanks."

Remus placed a hand on my shoulder and I pretended not to notice Sirius' eyes flicker to it. Without saying a word, because no doubt Sirius and James have already filled him in on all the details as they skipped Herbology (Professor Sprout was PISSED.) to come and see him after breakfast, I didn't dare risk another detention the week before we go home, I pulled him into a tight hug.

"Are you alright?" He asked, voice brimming with concern. I laughed at myself.  
"Sure, you?" He ruffled my hair with a scratched hand.  
"Dandy- but, if you don't mind me asking, what provoked the nightmare?" I found the will power to shoot a glare at Sirius, who had the grace to lower his eyes. A small swell of panic rose in my gut; I couldn't tell Remus I'd seen them! He'd freak out and the others would get into massive trouble for not keeping him in check. So, I did the only thing I could – I lied a bit.  
"I don't know, I guess I was just worried." Remus gave me a sceptical look but was then distracted by James doodling a snitch in the corner of: "Merlin James! THAT'S A LIBRARY BOOK!" and we never really got back on to that topic, something I am grateful.

"When will you be back then?" James asked as we prepared to leave for our next lesson (not only do I not want another detention, Peter and I can't really afford the luxury of missing a potions lesson but still getting an O)  
"Around dinner time?"  
"Alright, I'll save you some fudge cake."

Remus' smile lit up the room.  
"Oh James, what would I do without you?"

**9:00pm**

I'm going to bed. I'm sick of this Astrology chart, I'll have time to do it tomorrow night before our lesson and I only have the last three constellations to plot but ugh, it's so tedious. Plus, Sirius seems to be doing everything in his power to make me feel comfortable, which has only resulted in me feeling uncomfortable. So, I had a bad dream. Go baby someone else Sirius, you're just winding me up. I mean, you didn't give up the nice seat by the fire for Remus did you? You didn't pile another helping of that fudge cake on Remus' plate. No.

I get so ratty when I'm tired. I guess I should appreciate that he's actually being nice to me rather than being all grumpy for no reason. Huh. Role reversal.

Bed.

**14th Dec  
2:00pm**

The most brilliant thing has just happened - even though I'm feeling generally miserable because we're off home for the holidays and I have to socialise and to be all nice-y, nice-y which I _hate_- every time I think about this I practically choke with laughter.

Mistletoe has been put up all over the castle as is the norm at this time of the year, and, as is also the norm, the masses of girls in the SBFC and the slightly less popular JPFC have taken to stalking James and Sirius around, hoping to corner and kiss them. Much to Lily's annoyance, James has decided she is the perfect deterrent for these hormonal savages and, to be fair, she does do a poo-yourself-scary glare every time a girl steps within a metre of James. Sirius tried to rope me in to doing the same but the twisted side of me thought: well, if he likes kissing girls so much, why not let him kiss them? Besides, who am I to deny the snogging rights of the honourable and prestigious SBFC?

Needless to say, he was in a pretty foul mood by dinner time. This time of the year, as pointed out dryly by Professor McGonagall, is the only time Sirius is desperate to get into lesson – to avoid the mistletoe lurking in the corridors. By the time we got from Transfiguration to lunch he had been caught three times, first by a cute little Gryffindor who had no doubt heard him moaning about it all in the Common Room and tried to get out of it but he kissed her anyway, and by two Ravenclaws.

I myself have been quite lucky regarding the mistletoe, I got stuck under a piece with Remus and we kissed quickly after a lot of awkward jokes and an unspoken agreement never to mention it again. Then again, I haven't had people trying to lure me under it at every opportunity.

"I swear," Sirius grumbled, grabbing a turkey sandwich from the pile, "Something bad is going to happen to the next girl, or boy, who tries to kiss me! If you can even call this apparent molestation kissing!" He cringed as F's gang waved from the next table.  
"Has Freeth kissed you yet?" I asked with a smirk as Sirius lowered his sandwich, loosing his appetite suddenly.  
"No. And I intend to keep it that way."

By the time we made our way to Herbology Sirius perked up considerably, he had mischief on his mind, certainly. I shared a worried glance with Lily, who shrugged.

As we passed another one of the singing suits of armour, this one hadn't been affected by James' 'sonorus' charm and we could hear shrill giggling coming from around the corner. James moved behind Lily instinctively.

"Siri!" Several dedicated fan clubbers squealed as her rounded the corner, straight into their mistletoe trap. The rest of us hid smiles at the quickly disguised look of horror on Pads' face.  
"Good afternoon Ladies." Sirius drawled and they blushed collectively as we rolled our eyes. One of the girl's eyes strayed to James and Lily almost growled. I muffled a laugh.

"Oh look Siri! Mistletoe!" Freeth stepped forward with a flick of her blonde-white-hair (I swear it's actually just dead, I've had plenty of time to examine it when she used to sit next to me and spend half of the lesson brushing strands of it onto my work.) You could tell she had freshly applied her lipstick. It was half on her teeth. Whatever witty comment or escape plan Sirius had was ruined as she grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him into a fairly brutal kiss. The five of us Gryffindors winced as he was pushed up against the wall, the three other voyeurs' eyes widened with lust (?) and it was rather awkward, really. All I could think was: Merlin, I hop I didn't look like that when I kissed him . . . Remus nudged my side and without a startled blush – I had not been staring – I followed his gaze towards Sirius' hand, which was slipping inside his pocket, withdrawing a piece of parchment and sliding up her back in a movement she would mistake as him being amorous, sticking the parchment on her back. He didn't shut his eyes at any point during the kiss and he winked at James.

I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing.

"Shh! Billie!" Lily tried to contain her giggling but couldn't and soon all of us, including the two Ravenclaws that were just passing by, were roaring with laughter. Sirius broke apart the kiss (about time too), spluttering with laughter. Freeth turned around to glare at . . . well, mostly me. The piece of parchment that said 1234 on it disappeared when she turned so her so called 'friends' could see the sign. Only Jess Guetting's face lifted in understanding and reluctant amusement. James gave her a huge grin and Lily glanced at them both.

"What?" Freeth cried in a horrible whiny voice, "Why are you laughing?" Sirius extricated himself from her grip and wiped the lipstick from around his mouth and cheek.  
"C'mon guys! Let's leave Sarah to figure it out." Sirius grabbed my arm, probably just to spite her, and lead us down the corridor despite the howls of dismay from the badgers that he wasn't going to kiss the rest of them.

"That was excellent mate!" James congratulated, feeling confident to step away from Lily until a gang of Slytherin Fourth years rounded the corner.  
"1234." I repeated to myself, Sirius grinned at me.  
"I didn't call her a slut, but if there was a code to crack, it'd be 1234."

Even Lily, who is usually against bullying of any kind, joined us in our laughter. News spreads fast in Hogwarts and Sirius was applauded (which according to Moony was: "Completely, unnecessary") as we entered Herbology. No one dare say why though, Professor Sprout is fiercely protective of her badgers. Hopefully this will serve as a warning to any other girls. Huffles or no, who would like to jump Sirius under the mistletoe.

I bet Freeth's still wearing that sign at dinner.

**15th Dec  
****8:00am**

We're off! Heading home for three weeks of Christmas sheer and mum's cooking and days of doing nothing but having snowball fights, and self absorbed family members and Sirius being completely TOO FESTIVE.

He won't stop being all, I don't know, _Christmassy._Take yesterday night, I was helping him pack for the holidays because if I didn't he'd forget vital things like socks or his head, and he would not stop singing.

"God rest ye merry hippogriffs, let nothing be your dismay,"  
"Sirius shut up."  
"Remember, Dumbledore, our saviour, born on Christmas day!"  
"Dumbledore wasn't-"  
"-He could have been! He's ancient! To save us from Slyth'rin power!"  
"Merlin Sirius, shut up!"  
"In the best possible way!"  
"SIRIUS."  
"O ferrets of comfort and joy!"  
"SIRIUS!"  
"Ferrets of joy!"  
"PADFOOT!"  
"O ferrets of comfort and joy! Ouch! Billie!" He nursed his arm where my stinging hex hit him.  
"Shut you up, didn't it?" I proceeded to ignore him, rummaging through his drawers and deciding, without his input, what clothes he's be taking. He pouted.  
"Did you not like my singing?" My stony glare only made him smirk. "Not at all?"

"So would you not like a rendition of We Three Goblins?"  
"No thank you."  
"What about, I Saw A Dementor Kissing Santa Claus?  
"Nope."  
"Rudolf the Red Nosed Thestral?"  
"Now you're being-"  
"Elven Bells?"  
"-ridiculous!"

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOOOOOOOOOU!"

"Billie, are you alright?" James burst in, just back off his last patrol of the year. After observing the scene, he burst out laughing. "Sorry Bills, thought that was you, screaming in pain." Padfoot flipped a finger at my brother and James smile sweetly back.  
"Your mockery shall not dampen my raging Christmas spirit and neither will Miss Scrooge over there!"

Just, let me get one thing straight, it's not that I don't like Christmas, I love that everyone's happy and all the lights and the love and the snow. I just don't particularly enjoy Christmas at home . . . It's my family. As if it wasn't bad enough normally with Mum and Dad CONSTANTLY comparing me to James, at Christmas we have a house full of squabbling relatives, eager to pick James and I apart. God! When they start talking about my love life – or lack – whatever.  
"So I hear you're dating that Prewett boy?" (This was two years ago)  
"Yes, Great Aunt Mabel, who by all accounts should be dead by now."  
"Isn't a bit old for you?"  
"No?"  
"He's very attractive."  
"I know."  
"Where's James?"

And I'm really not sure if it's going to be better or worse with Sirius here this holiday. At the least, my cousins with have a field _week_with him. Ugh. When you go home you want your own space, not a packed house full of people you just wouldn't tolerate in everyday life. Even Mum has admitted to me over a few glasses of mead that she hated Dad's side of the family. So who can blame me?

Anyway, I think I'm all packed, just need to have breakfast and drop of my stuff at the Entrance.

**11:00am**

Remus has a girlfriend, Emily, of course. I can just see the top of his head peeking out from behind his book, he's probably trying to hide from all the embarrassing comments James, Sirius and I have been making since we boarded the train.

We were waiting on the platform for ages, debating whether or not to open up the package that Professor Jubential had given, 'To the Marauders' for Christmas, bless him. We were cornered on the way out of breakfast and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt guilty that we hadn't even bought him a card.

"Let's just open it" Peter made the final decision and James peeled away the wrapping paper to reveal half of Honeydukes and Zonko's, different packets of sweets and prank items with each of our names written on them. At the top there was a note.

_Enjoy, don't get caught, and don't mention my name if you do! – Merry Christmas Guys, stay safe!_

"I love this guy." Sirius stated for all of us.

Lily joined us with her own package from Slughorn.  
"Promise you'll write to me!" She sounded rather desperate, "My sister's fiancé is coming over for a few days, and I'm going to die!"  
"Promise. And we'll go to Diagon Alley like last year to buy presents again."  
"Oh please-" She grinned at me but it slipped into a confused look. "-What's Remus doing?" I turned to see Remus being shooed away from our little huddle, a small sprig of mistletoe in hand. He was as red as Father Christmas' suit (though I must say, he looked better in green)

"Go on Moony." Sirius commanded. When I asked what was going on, Sirius looked at me with excited eyes. "Remus is going to give Emily her Christmas present."

We watched as Remus stumbled over to where Emily was waiting with Jade and Ben and winced with the boy as Jade gave him a glare as frosty as the weather. We couldn't hear from where we were stood but Remus' mouth moved and Emily blushed prettily. With a nervy grin, Remus presented the mistletoe to Emily, who went a shade closer to crimson, and leaned down to kiss her.

As they broke apart we all cheered and clapped. Even Jade's lips quirked into a smile but Ben's calculating look was back, it only faded when I caught his eye and grinned cheesily at him.  
"Get in there lad!" James congratulated with a hearty shake of Remus' shoulders as he returned to the Gryffindor throng.  
"I cannot believe I just did that!" Moony was half-hysterical with adrenaline.  
"Look at your little face!" Lily pinched a rosy cheek and we laughed.

"Hey Remus," James smirked with an obvious glance towards Lily, "Can I borrow that mistletoe?"  
"You dare Potter." Lily replied for him and rolled her eyes.  
"Oh please do it! Over there where Dickory can see you!" Sirius gave Lily a wink and she thumped him right where my stinging hex had landed last night. Still, if he'd have shut up when I told him to . . .

"So, what did she say?" I asked and Remus smiled.  
"Um, thanks?"  
Sirius and James both burst out laughing.  
"Socially awkward Ravenclaw kisses socially awkward Gryffindor!"  
"Shh! I want to hear this!" I told them.  
"Um, yeah, she told me to write to her and that we should meet up in the holidays – to _study._" He finished quote sternly at the glint in Sirius' eye.  
"Aw Moony," I grinned, "You've got yourself a girlfriend." The steam from the arriving train hid his blush quite well. However, the noise did not quite cover the 'study? My ARSE!' from Sirius and his stinging hex wound was hit yet again.

We've been on the train for about 45 minutes now and the feeling of dread is slowly growing in my stomach. Fortunately, and Merlin, I never thought I'd admit to this, we've been given loads of assigned reading to do for the holidays and at least I can do that if I get sick of everyone. I sicken myself sometimes.

Sirius is being overly cheerful again, though that could just be as a result of all the Fizzing Whizzibees he's consumed from the bag Sir bought us. He's singing Good Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs again. He says that if we tell him to shut up he'll sing Elven bells and the innuendos are simply not appropriate for a trip on the Hogwarts Express. I have two weeks of this festive demon.

Merry freaking Christmas.

* * *

**A/N: **Oh Billie, don't be so gloomy! I have exciting things planned for this holiday . . . You just wait and see . . .


	48. A Selection of Letters

**A/N:** Check me out guys! It's only been about a week since I last updated, I'm sure we could all get used to this. However, I must admit, this chapter has not been beta-d so is probably riddled with mistakes and it's short and filler-y.

But it's up in time for Christmas! Hooray! Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, I haven't replied to anyone and I feel really horrible but I have to revise too, I have six exams in January *dies*. Enjoy!

* * *

A Selection of Letters, 15-22 December

15th Dec

Lily,

Get me out of here, please. I've been back home for two hours and already I've been made to unpack and set up the house for the family coming over (though they're not actually coming for a few days) to stay. Get this right! I have to share my bedroom with my cousin Sophie, you know, the one who's studying arithmacy in Nepal? The perfect one? Yes, her. As if I needed anyone else to show me up! James is plenty _thankyouverymuch_. Worst part is, Mum tried to be all snarky when I kicked up a fuss and said I either had a choice between her staying and Sirius staying. I swear; the look she gave me when I said I'd rather bunk with that lump of Christmas cheer.

Oh! And the comments about my lack of letters home have already begun. Just little ones at first, like the "Oh Billie, haven't heard much from you this term" when we were about to portkey home but then mum decided to really rub it in by getting out the box of (mainly James') letters and showing it to my aunties who had come over to 'inspect' the house (although what the bowtruckle they were supposed to be inspecting is beyond me because they stay every year and the house hasn't change since James and I were very little). But yes, there have been several comments about my lack of contact.

I don't write letters to people I don't like. Sorry folks, that's why I'm writing to you, Lily.

Lily dear please save me.

Please,

Billie x

* * *

_16th Dec_

_Billie, _

_My apologies! It's taken me a day to reply and I do hope you are still in a sane and generally sociable enough mood to read and understand my letter. I'll try to tone down on the low frequency lexis. _

_Sophie sounds like a real charmer, I suppose the idea of her staying with you is in vain hope that she may inflict some of her worldly knowledge and perfect-ness on to you. I know what you are thinking, that is a job only for Lily Evans! No fear Billie, I am willing to share my responsibilities in order to further your ascent to becoming a Potter saint. I suppose that I should also say that, don't be silly, Billie, I'm sure you are equally as perfect as your cousin. If not more so . . . _

_It's a good job I don't only send letters to people I like isn't it?_

_. . . Kidding, I can picture your glare. _

_As for the saving, no can do I'm afraid. My first day of the holidays has already included three fights, a near slap and a ridiculous amount of crocodile tears. We should have just stayed at Hogwarts together. _

_Need I explain? _

_Lily x_

* * *

16th Dec

Lily,

You need not explain but I know you are itching to. Hogwarts sounds like a beautiful idea at the moment.

* * *

_16th Dec_

_Thee who knows me too well,_

_Vernon. _

_My sister's wonderful (!) fiancé has been invited round nearly every day and he's even coming over for Christmas dinner (not that he needs it, he looks like a pig in a wig anyway)! Does he not have his own family to force his presence upon? _

_Worse still, bloody Petunia is insisting that I pretend to be 'normal' in case he thinks that she's a "freak" too and it scares him away. It's not fair because not only do I have to lie about my entire life, I'm not allowed to talk to my parents about my grades or our quidditch success or anything and I have to hide all my robes in my trunk and put dust covers on my books. Dad's being lovely to me though, I don't really get the impression that the aspiring Drill company manager is really his cup of tea. He's certainly not mine. _

_I would never admit to anyone that I spent all of dinner last night thinking about different potions that could get him out of our lives. _

_Come to Diagon Alley with me tomorrow? Dad says he can drive us in to London if you can get a portkey to that park you did last time at about 8am? Just us two though, before one of the dynamic duo reads this and gets an idea._

_Let me know, use a different owl though, Ethelbert must be tired!_

_Lily x_

* * *

16th Dec

Lily,

Tomorrow sounds great. Dad says he can side-along apparate with me. Apparently I need to get used to it – I think he just wants to get away from mum for a bit. She's driving everyone loopy.

It will definitely just be us two, James and Sirius have been playing silly Christmas buggers the past few days, and! (Imagine trumpets) I HAVE DONE TWO THIRDS OF MY ASSIGNED READING. What am I supposed to do when I've read the rest of it? I can't _stand_them at the moment! Plus, Sophie, Marlene, my other cousin, their parents, and our grandparents are all arriving tomorrow. Can you imagine their reaction to Sirius? I don't want to be there until ovaries have stopped exploding and hormones are at a healthy, normal level.

See you tomorrow, 8 o'clock.

Billie x

* * *

_17th Dec  
Billie,_

_Well, well, well. Haven't we had an interesting day? In my defence, you should have told me you got car sick, I have medicine for it! In your defence, my dad is a bit of a road hog. But don't tell him I said that, he's in a pretty foul mood because the car still smells like sick and he couldn't believe it when I told him about all the ice cream you ate afterwards. He says he still loves you though, so no need to worry. Don't try to deny you were. _

_Are you sure about that book I got my mum? I'm really not sure if I'm breaking the International Stature of Secrecy by giving it to her, but surely it could just be passed of as a family heirloom, a book of fairy tales, if anyone asked? And I really do not understand the way you, James and Sirius buy gifts for each other! Isn't it just a waste of money to go out buying the most ludicrous items that the person will probably never use? You did get Remus that really nice shirt though, he'll look great in it. Not sure how much Sirius is going to enjoy his limited edition, singing bath mat – and what you bought James was just cruel. Peter will enjoy the chocolate, I'm sure._

_For the tenth or so time, but not the last, I'm sure - you were SO CUTE with Gideon Prewett today! I'm so glad I managed to get you to go and talk to him instead of just waving awkwardly across the street. I mean, you did used to go out. However awkward this point may be, it is a point that needs to be made: Merlin, he is good looking now! I couldn't really see it at Hogwarts but really, you two would make a ridiculously hot couple if Sirius kept his teddy in the cot long enough for you to meet up again. I'm sure it would only take a catch up session or two . . . Owl him. Hey, Kingsley's not that bad looking either, and he didn't seem uninterested in, um, more 'business exchanges'. _

_Oh! More oddly good news! Petunia has managed to get herself grounded (and she's 19) and Vernon is forbidden to come over because when I got back I went to show mum all the things I had bought, minus the book of course, and Tuney threw a complete fit because Vernon was coming over and she didn't want him seeing all the stuff. I don't think she particularly wanted to see any of it either. Or that she realised that if I did let Vernon see the things I bought I would have my wand snapped – if so she'd have stayed quiet, maybe even invited him in. But yes, Mum took my side and told Petunia to be quiet but then she argued with the father, who was still narked about the sick smell in the car and about having to drive down the motorway "in the middle of bloody December with the bloody window down!" and he really told her where to go. _

_He's told me that if I over analyse the situation and find something to apologise for then he will personally confiscate all the hot chocolate in the house. So although it's not been pleasant listening to her cry for the last two hours, I'm adamant that it's her fault. Trust me the consequences of not having any hot chocolate are much greater. I'm a horrible person aren't I? _

_Anyway, how are you? You said the family were arriving, are you yet living, lady disdain?_

_Lily x_

* * *

18th Dec

Lily,

Sorry if my handwriting's a bit wibbly – I'm being forced to write this letter with only the light from my wand (calm yourself, there are about twelve adults in the house, they won't be able to trace it.) because 'Soph' as she wants to be called now – "It's Soph, all my friends in a Nepal call me it." Oh sorry _Sophie_but last time I checked, I wasn't in Nepal. Silly girl.

Aside from all the hoodlum of my evening, my mother is CRAZY, thank you for a great day! Tell your dad I'm sorry again! I'm actually not usually car sick but your dad does drive like a maniac, how has he still got no points on is thingy? Madman. And I'm glad he still loves me. I was _a__little_worried when he called me "POTTER!"

Lily! Please stop stressing over that book! The Tales of Beedle the Bard are your standard wizarding family children's stories! She's going to love them and if the word muggle crops up once or twice just say that they're African stories and that there was no English word that matched so they just kept it in the language. If you name a really obscure country then they're less likely to know the language. See, I am a genius liar and a genius gift picker. You will NOT be going to Azkaban for giving that book to your mum.

You're not expected to understand the mysterious ways in which we Marauders operate, I know Sirius is going to adore his limited edition singing bath mat because, he must be the biggest Celestina Warbeck fan I know and that mat will sing A Cauldron Full of Hot Strong Love the whole time he showers. I was so lucky to find James' present! He is going to hate me for so long.

Sweet Merlin Lily! When did you become so riddled with lust? For starters: there will be no more of these 'business exchanges' with Kingsley. The only reason I spoke to him in the first place this year was because he had a bike to sell. Secondly: you've done it for me now. Sirius managed to get hold of the last page of your letter, fortunately he didn't see the bit about his present but the long paragraph about how I should go out with Gid was there; he's been acting oddly quiet since. Although, grumpy Padfoot aside, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN! He looked really, really, rather nice and I can't believe he was wearing that hat I got him for his birthday what, two years ago now? And he's almost an auror – a really good looking, _single_wizard cop.

By the way, I have _no__idea_what you are talking about regarding teddies and cots. It is a silly metaphor and you are honestly incorrect in implying what you are implying Lily Evans.

I will be owling him sometime though.

What a failure on Petunia's part! I hope you're ok, I know how much you hate it when you fall out with her, no matter how good you've gotten at hiding it. Don't apologise, you should never have to hide who you are, not around your family especially. Just think of the hot chocolate . . . now think of it not being there-

Oh Lily. Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as the Potter family? As soon as I walked through the door I wanted to turn and walk back out again. All I got was people asking me the same things over and over, how's school? How's quidditch? Have you got a boyfriend? What do you want to be when you leave school? And the looks on their faces when I said I wanted to be an auror or play quidditch. Merlin, they did not quite understand that I was joking on that last one. I've had four lectures on financially stable career choices this afternoon. Of course, I was made to spend the afternoon with Soph_ie_, Marlene and the 'dynamic duo' as you call them. It wasn't too bad, we played quidditch and Marlene's good but she's only ten and Soph_ie_'s absolutely crap. James made a bet that he and Sirius could beat Marlene, Soph_ie_and I and yes, he owes me the new Weird Sisters album when it comes out.

All through the game though, and all through dinner, Sophie's been staring at Sirius like she'd want nothing more than do undress him. And between her long and frequent enlightenments about her work in Nepal, she's been flirting with him like she'll never be able to flirt again. It's not only annoying, it's RUDE and James is pretty narked that Sirius' attention is not always on him as he presumed it would be when I got moody with them both. Of course, I can't just be mad at Sophie, Sirius is flirting back just as much. Naturally, she's perfect. It's just really awkward when James and I are just sat there while they're flirting. Marlene doesn't find us cool enough to want to stick around anymore. She doesn't really like Sirius either – would you if you thought he was the reason your usually absent sister was paying as much attention to you as you expected?

What's even more annoying is that after what seems like every ten seconds, mum calls me away from whatever we're doing to help with whatever she feels like at the time. She never calls any of the others to help although James will _offer_ with a dashing smile and get refused with an equally warm one. It's getting right on my nerves. Plus, my family don't seem to understand that, hello, this is my holiday too. My idea of relaxing does not include holding the wool while my Grandmother, my dad's mum, knits indescribable objects. Or making cups of tea or coffee. Especially when Sirius sticks his around the kitchen door and says "Milk, no sugar" before darting off, a giggling Sophie in tow, so I can't tell him exactly where to shove his hot beverage.

How's Lily? Sorry, I don't have a fancy Shakespeare reference for you.

I'm tired! Thanks for today!

Billie x

* * *

_19th Dec _

_Bills,_

_Wow, Sophie sounds like a real charmer. Perfect, even. _

_I have stopped stressing about the book. If I do find odd references I'll just take it to school with me. Ok, I have not stopped stressing about the book. Also, I fear I will never understand the mysterious ways in which you Marauders operate. _

_I've just been sat here laughing for ages. He found out and thought he might have to share you again. No wonder he's trying to get in there with Sophie! This is priceless. You should really owl Gideon. _

_I__'__m__very__proud__of__your__reply__with__that__Much__Ado__quote;__you_do_listen__to__Remus__and__I__sometimes!__No,__no,__wait,__let__me__guess,__you__'__re__just__a__creature__of__incredibly__high__intelligence__and__you__just__knew__the__quote?__Your__holiday__'__s__sounding__pretty__naff.__Just__drag__James__off__to__play__quidditch__with__you.__Or__floo__to__Remus__'__._

_Lily's not doing too badly, Tuney still hates me and I've spent most of this morning wandering around town and hogging the swings in the park. I suppose I should really get cracking with my extra potions work but I'm really not sure how I'm going to get away with having my family over and a cauldron upstairs brewing constantly. But Slughorn seemed really excited about me brewing it. Slug Club's starting again after Christmas. I wonder if you'll get another invite . . . _

_Right, about Sophie, you either need to tell her to back off or you need to tell Sirius to get her to back off. That, or you can grin and bear it all holiday. Your family are a bit weird, if you don't mid me saying. I'm off to the park again, smile, you'll be fine! _

_Lily x_

* * *

20th Dec  
Lily,

WE'RE OFF TO THE WORLD CUP FRIENDLY! England vs. Portugal, in two days time!

I'm so excited! I'm going to be seeing them all in the flesh! Dom Clarkson, in the flesh (be still my heart). Jen Parker, IN THE FLESH. I am going to die. It's going to be fantastic and hopefully James and I will be able to pick out some new tactics to use in the upcoming tourney. No doubt Sirius will just watch for the fun of it and no doubt Sophie will just watch Sirius. She supports Nepal anyway, of course. I had to restrain myself from snapping at her to go back to freaking Nepal if she likes it that bloody much! I'm so happy though, not even the incessant flirting that Sophie is doing can make me feel annoyed. Hey, I even made twelve cups of tea in one go today (even though we have a house elf . . .) without grumbling once. Dad's been joking all morning about my abrupt mood swing but he seems genuinely happy at my enthusiasm. He keeps saying that this is the last time he's going to be able to take us to a match as 'children'. Mum's told him several times already to stop being so sentimental and just enjoy my good mood while it lasts. Funny, my mum.

It seems people in the house have taken to avoiding me rather than me trying to avoid them. Every time I see someone I feel compelled to tell them how excited I am, which I suppose could get quite annoying. James is the same. We've agreed that if it means we don't have to sit and listen to Sirius and Sophie then it's worth keeping up.

Remus is coming over tomorrow too, that'll be nice, I'm sure he won't abandon me for perfect relative and he's always been good at dealing with James and I when we're over-excited.

How're things?

Billie x

* * *

21st Dec

Lily,

Hey! I know I haven't really given you chance to write back yet but I've just been declared out in our impromptu game of musical statues – Sirius is winning although I maintain he should have been out three rounds ago, he WOBBLED – and Marlene would let me help with the music, she's getting a right teenage attitude, so I have nothing better to do than write to you.

Remus went home an hour ago, shame really, I think he would have made a brilliant statue. It was really nice having him around for the day. Sophie must have decided she didn't like that Sirius spoke to him more than her and took Marlene out for the day instead of using my oxygen so we were able to play out in the snow, just the four of us.

We had the most insane snow-man building competition. I lost, but only because Sirius hexed its head off, I swear. Rem told us all about the letters he and Emily have been sending to each other after I found a particularly cute one while rummaging through his pockets. According to him, they're a proper couple now and although that Jade has confessed that she doesn't really want Emily having anything to do with us Marauders, he must be alright if he's been a prefect for two years. I really wish she'd stop judging us all because Sirius dumped her! Remus is as un-Sirius-ish a person you could find. In manner anyway.

So that was my day! Quidditch tomorrow! If I don't hear from you by tomorrow night I am coming over to your house, possibly with an obviously wizarding family, to check Petunia hasn't run you through with a kitchen knife. I'm being serious.

Billie x

* * *

22nd Dec

Lily?

Ok, you haven't replied, you have three hours after this letter has been sent to write me back or I swear I will drag magical Potter family butt into your house and see how much your dad loves me then!

Threats aside, today was AMAZING! We won! The standard of play today was incredible. The chasers were passing the quaffle so quickly you could hardly see it and some of the shots Jen Parker played were just breath-taking. She might be the only girl in the team but she certainly knows how to hold her own, even against the surprisingly large Portuguese players. Dom Clarkson. Sophie watched the game when she realised he was playing alright. Bloody hell. It was just so amazing! The Portuguese looked so clumsy in comparison to our team. Made me proud!

We saw Professor Jubential after the match. He was waiting by the portkeys with a triumphant grin on his face. James chatted to him about the match while we waited also and Sophie tried to impress him with her Nepal story. As we were leaving he asked me if all she ever talked about was Nepal, apparently 'you can tell'.

Reply please.

Billie x

* * *

_22nd Dec_

_Billie Potter. _

_You are completely and utterly unnecessary. My sister is scarred for life._

_Thank you for the present though. And for the enthusiasm that I hadn't, in fact, been run through with a kitchen knife. _

_Lily __x  
_

* * *

**A/N: **Rewards for those that spotted the Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone reference there. Also, does anyone know why Lily hasn't been replying? I hope I haven't made it too obvious . . . I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Only one more before I split the story and I'm really hoping to get it posted this week before Christmas because it's a better chapter but we'll have to cross our fingers because: revision. I am so naff at writing kiss scenes it's untrue.

If you're feeling all christmassy why not read my one shot **The Twelve Days of Christmas**? It's James/Lily and it's one of my favourite fics I've written, it's better than most of this anyway :')


	49. Merry Christmas!

**A/N: **MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Or, if you don't celebrate, I hope you're having a happy holiday!

I have literally spent almost every waking moment scribbling down this chapter or typing it up these last few days. Over half of it will have been written at obscene hours in the morning, I know I was up until 2 o'clock last night attempting to get it finished for you all. As a result, I'm not very happy with the quality of writing, it's a bit jerky, but at least it's written and up here! This is unbeta'd and probably riddled with typos and odd commas. My apologies.

Ironically, it's been two years today since I first updated this fic. I've taken my time, no wonder the beginning chapters of this are so bad!

I hope you all have a great day tomorrow and boxing day and that you appreciate this nightmare of a chapter as it's the last one in this part of the story (I will be putting a long note as a chapter 50 to explain what's going to happen next though, exciting things hopefully!). Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, (I couldn't believe it when I realised this story had over 200 reviews, I was so happy!) especially to all those who've pm'd me at some point, it's been really great talking to you all!

**Enjoy. **

* * *

**24th Dec**

**Mistletoe  
****10:00pm**

Everyone is drunk. See, when I say drunk, you might be thinking: had a few drinks. No. My whole family, with the exception of Marlene who is in bed, are DRUNK. Mum has stopped cooking and is waltzing around the room with my uncle while dad keeps changing the radio station between BWB1 and Non-Stop Weird Sisters. When Weird Sisters comes on all the older family members make a unanimous "Awwwwwww!" noise like a little child being told they can't have their way. It was only funny at first and I really wish dad would just leave Weird Sisters on. Sophie is taking Marlene to bed. Sophie has been taking Marlene to bed for approximately 2 hours which probably means she's passed out somewhere. I can't find it in me to care and everyone else is too drunk to notice. She's been the worst yet today, I haven't been able to explain properly to Lily how WRONG her behaviour towards Padfoot is by letter, even Uncle Articus (not her dad) picked up on it. He called her a cougar and she almost cried. I love my Uncle.

He's just been trying to get outside through the window to "sleep in the snow" and it was up to Sirius and I, being the least intoxicated there, to help him back into his chair.

"Let me out! I'm a Hippogriff!"

"No Uncle, you're drunk." He looked rather put out as I sat him back down.

"No, I'm drunk!"

But yes, Sophie. Every time I look in her direction she is staring at Sirius and attempting to undress him with her eyes. Or, if he says the slightest thing to anyone, especially me, she stares and them as if they need to apologise. She's nearly 20 and he's just turned 17, and he has the mental age of a 7 year old at the most inconvenient of times and he's stubborn and far too intelligent for his own good because really, shouldn't that grey matter have gone to someone who would use it wisely? She knows nothing about him except that she finds him attractive and that he's James' best friend. It's just not right.

I'm not sure why Sirius is as sober as he is tonight. He and James nicked a bottle of firewhiskey and Sirius had half a glass, I had one, before letting Sophie and James split the bottle. James is hammered. He is so lucky that mum and dad are just as bad so they haven't noticed. He keeps walking into the room and asking Sirius what he's done with the 'thing'. Padfoot says he has no idea what he's talking about but he's had James wandering all around the house looking for it before, with a grin, assuring James that "It's alright mate, I've got it." I don't know what's going on between them, but Sirius is being alright company tonight, like he is at Hogwarts. I think it's because Sophie's not present. I wish he was this happy and . . . nice . . . all the time. We've just been talking about when we apparated into Lily's living room to check she was alive. She nearly killed us all.

I tried to explain to her family that it was because Lily hadn't been replying but then that bitch Petunia started screaming and my Uncle Articus (because he insisted on coming) nearly set himself on fire by poking an electric socket. Mrs Evans was really nice about it all though, she made us all a cup of tea and I could see her eyeing up James and mouthing things over to Lily. As if she hasn't been told about this 'toe-rag' Potter at Hogwarts who fancies her daughter and has an amazing twin! I am a little worried though, Mr Evans, although he accepted my apologies about the car and invited me to go smell the lemon-y freshness now (it smelt great), I think he likes James more than me. Lily's face when James and her dad got talking. I never did find out when Lily hadn't really been replying, she just said she'd been out and about and hadn't got round to it. Her parents said nothing about this.

I'm going to do some washing up because I really cannot take anymore of this drunkenness. My grandfather is singing, well, he's trying to. I know mum's left all the plates and pans from dinner to soak before she dealt with them tomorrow.

Small favours, eh?

**11:00pm**

Oh bother. Bugger and bother. This is it, my life is over now. I cannot face my family, drunk or sober, again. Not when they seem _intent _on asking the most awkward and _untimely _questions imaginable!

Merlin! I was fine doing the washing up. Just fine. In fact, loathe as I am to admit it, I was actually enjoying myself. I like washing up, it makes your hands all warm and I was planning on leaving the drying and putting away to someone with a wand anyway. Then Sirius decided to join me.

I heard him coming, it's impossible to sneak up on anyone in this house, creaky floorboards will be creaky floorboards, and his reflection appeared in the window above my shoulder.

"Hey." Was all he said. I finished washing the final plate and wiped my hands.

"Hi." He was stood quite close to me. The distance between us was so little I was sure I would have been on the receiving end of one of Sophie's best glares had she been skulking about. Sirius jerked his head up a fraction of an inch and I looked up. He'd managed to levitate a sprig of mistletoe between us and the smirk said it all – Broom Cupboard flashbacks.

"No." I said. Honestly, I tried to shove him away and he moved back a bit before leaning in closer. "Merlin Sirius, no! Don't you dare kiss me." My threat didn't seem to deter him that much. We'd talked about this after his birthday, no more kissing.

"But you have to kiss under mistletoe – it's tradition."

"Take your sodding mistletoe off to Sophie then!" I felt all the more outraged as he laughed.

"I don't want to kiss Sophie, I want to kiss you." Whatever odd palpitations I was having were surely alcohol induced. The blushing, that too must be the firewhiskey's fault.

"Well," I tried to push him away again but he resisted. "It's not all about what you want is it?"

"No, not at all." He smirked and I tried to bite his hand as he steadied my head with it.

"Sirius." I warned him as he leant in.

"Shhh, it's Christmas." I opened my mouth to protest and he took advantage while he could.

It wasn't so bad, as kisses go. I couldn't help remembering how Freeth looked while she attacked him and kept my hands at my sides the whole time. It wasn't like the event in the Broom Cupboard, it was slow and gentle and I also couldn't help thinking of the unfinished letter to Gid that was in my beside drawer, hidden underneath last week's copy of Quidditch Weekly. Emphasis on the was. The git had to ruin it by breaking the kiss apart and staring at me with no joke in his grey eyes.

"Your letter had an accident." I blinked, he went on, "Er, with an incendio charm." I suddenly grasped what he was talking about and _then _he backed away. I was speechless. "I was just looking at the quidditch magazine and I saw it."

"So you _burnt _it?"

"I, what? Yes?"

"WHY?"

"Because, he's not . . ." He blanched as I pulled out my wand. "Come on Billie, if you wanted to talk to him that bad that letter would have already been sent." I lowered my wand, I had been putting off finishing the letter but surely it was my decision whether it ever got finished? Sirius had gotten ten times more confusing in the last ten minutes. "Don't be mad, please." I didn't assure him that I wouldn't be mad, I still feel angry just thinking about it. But, it's Christmas and I always let him get away with far more than I should. And I wasn't about to give Sophie the satisfaction of us falling out.

"Don't ever burn my letters again." I prodded him in the chest with my wand and he nodded. "And don't kiss me either!"

"No burning, no kissing."

"I swear you've promised me both of those things before." Sirius merely grinned as I pushed him back towards the living room. Probably well aware of how lightly he got off.

It was fine, it would have been fine. Maybe slightly awkward at times in the future when I hear people mention mistletoe or a fan club member decides to ravish him in the corridor, fine. But my family were so drunk. They seemed to awaken from a stupor when Sirius and I walked in (we couldn't go upstairs, you can't kiss your best friend and then just go upstairs because that would just be awkward and he's really done it now, as if the broom cupboard wasn't enough.) Mum and my uncle had stopped dancing, thank goodness, and my dad had turned the radio to a low buzz.

"Billie! Sirius! Sirius! Billie! Sillie – Billius!" He greeted and nine drunken faces smiled at us. It was creepy actually.

"Billie come here! Sit!" My granddad Charlus (Dad's dad – James is overjoyed he didn't get called Charlus too) ordered. I shared a glance with Sirius and after a silent battle of wills (we couldn't exactly go upstairs), he joined me by the fire. "Your mum tells me that you . . ." He paused to find the next word. "You . . . have NO BOYFRIEND!" The whole room was looking at me, Sirius was bloody smirking as if he was proud of the fact that he'd just kissed me for no real reason and made what would have been an awkward conversation cringe-worthy and my lips burnt, another firewhiskey side effect.

"Er, no I don't."

"Why not?" My grandmother asked, shocked. Because no doubt at my age she was either already married or engaged. I flushed and Sirius looked at me expectantly. I thought I could really stick the knife in about the letter burning.

"Well my boyfriend left school so we split up, I saw him a couple of days ago actually." Sirius stiffened next to me and the air around us grew tense.

"Why didn't you get a new boyfriend?" My grandad asked but he continued before I could answer, "Sirius! There's a good looking lad. Sirius, Billie wants to go out with you!" And how an 80 year old can cause so much awkwardness between two teenagers is beyond me. Sirius cleared his throat. Possibly in shock, probably in amusement.

"I'm not sure she does sir."

"She does! She told me!" My dad piped in with his LIES, slander and LIES.

"What? Dad!"

"She does." My dad repeated, sounding oddly mournful and far too sure of what he was accusing me of. I was blushing and a quick glance towards Sirius told me he was pretty red-faced too.

"Billie! You have to tell S-So-Sophie to stop flirting with your man!" My Uncle Articus began to squawk with laughter and the rest of the adults joined in. I buried my head in my hands.

"Really, she doesn't have to say anything-" Sirius began but I cut him off.

"-Because we're not going out and I don't fancy him!"

"She does!" My dad insisted and proceeded to ignore my protestations. "Hey Billie!" He continued the drunken lunacy, "I heard that Sirius likes you too!" Sirius is not react as smoothly as one might of expected. Instead, he turned a radishy colour and left me to defend our dignities. I growled.

"Dad, shut up. You're drunk It's not like you'd even let me go out with Sirius if I did like him, I had to keep Gid a secret for six months before I told you so you didn't completely ban me from seeing him!" My uncle started laughing again, it was so obvious he had never had children, and dad gulped like a fish. "I'm going to bed and I really would hope that you are too drunk to remember this in the morning!" I then did my absolute best teenage strop walk out of the room. Sirius mumbled some excuse and rushed out after me. He was caught between a hoard of drunken rocks and a very tired, hormonal hard place. He let out a clipped yelp as I grabbed his wrist in the dark and pulled him up the stairs.

"Well done you stupid idiot!" I dropped his wrist and hit him on the chest.

"What?"

"Making things awkward!" I hit him again in embarrassment and anger.

"How? By kissing you?" I shushed him violently and this time he grabbed my wrists to stop me from hitting him. I anybody decided to use the stairs we would be in a very compromising situation indeed.

"Shh! Yes by kissing me!"

"How did I know that the moment we entered the room they were going to start picking on us?"

"Well, if you hadn't of kissed me we could have gone upstairs!" I pointed out obviously and he chuckled.

"We couldn't go upstairs in case I had my _wicked way _with you?"

"Merlin forbid." I wasn't joking, but it felt like it. Sirius smirked and moved in closer like he had in the kitchen. I began to think that perhaps he'd had quite a bit more than that half a glass of firewhiskey, but I couldn't smell it on him. Maybe he just felt intent on ruining our friendship by treating me like he used to treat the girls he'd go out with for a week and then dump.

"If I push you you'll fall down the stairs and die."

"Don't push me then." I wondered if he'd used a charm to mask the smell of the alcohol but his eyes, they weren't bloodshot or blurred in the slightest.

"No kissing!" I reminded him of his promise and felt him pause a second before sighing and wrapping me in a hug. I breathed a sigh of relief and allowed myself to relax a bit. He still smelt like dog and those old cigarettes, just like Hogwarts-Sirius, who I have decided I like a lot more than home-Sirius.

"Sirius?" Somebody slurred at the top of the stairs and it was a good job we were hugging because otherwise he would have fallen down the stairs and died as he jumped. It was Sophie.

"Oh, hi Soph." Padfoot jumped back so there was about a metre's gap in between us. Nice, Padfoot, real nice. Also, I do not feel I will ever be able to explain how angry (betrayed) I feel when he calls her _Soph. _NONE OF US LIKE HER SIRIUS GET WITH IT, MERLIN. Her blurry eyes, she had been drinking, lots, rolled over us both and she frowned, her drunken brain trying to process what she was seeing.

"Where did you go?" She asked, deciding to ignore my presence completely. The bitch, I'm going to have to put a slug in her bed, or a rat, or a spider, or Snape.

"I've just been, erm, washing up." She grinned horribly and nearly fell down the stairs herself.

"You know what, Sirius? Siri? You are really hot! Like, really, really hot." I stifled a groan as she literally flung herself on to him. Ok, she tripped down the last step, but it had the same effect. Because she'd said it, I noticed Sirius didn't look too bad, not in the dark anyway.

"Oh yeah?" Sirius puffed out his chest a little, voice dropping by about an octave and Sophie giggled.

"Yeah . . ." I murmured a disbelieving curse as she turned her back on me fully. "Maybe we should go somewhere quiet." It was no more than a drunken whisper in his ear but it still made me want to scream and punch her. He's seventeen for Merlin's sake! And he belongs to the Marauders, not some stupid McKinnon haired (although why I could have had her and my mum's McKinnon hair instead of my dad's Potter hair is BEYOND ME), boring as they come, Arithmacer who works in Nepal!

I did it, I glared at him, properly glared, and I think he got the message.

"Look, Soph-_ie_, Sophie, I think you're a little too drunk to be making these decisions."

Rightly bloody so too.

Sophie is passed out on the bed next to me, snoring worse than Peter with a cold. Hopefully her Christmas will be ruined by the killer hangover she'll have tomorrow – I just don't like her, ok? Sirius has just disappeared off to his bedroom after a quiet goodnight and an exceedingly odd sort of arm tap. It's Christmas Day tomorrow and I am unsure if I can deal with this tense atmosphere, I wish I were at Hogwarts right now. I may be lonely but there's only so much a girl can take in a night. I mean, Sirius kissed me without good reason and under a debatably small alcohol influence, when he could have kissed the _perfect_ and completely willing Sophie, I had to endure the family's idea of entertainment and then there was that thing on the stairs where I'm pretty sure Sirius would have tried to kiss me again had it not been for me telling him not to.

Why, Padfoot? Why are you being so strange?

I'm going to kip with James because I know I'll never get to sleep in here with Sophie snorting away like that and now I've wished Snape into her bed, I don't want to wake up with him there do I? Plus, I'm sure it's immoral to be thinking about your shared best mate kissing you when you're sharing a bed with your brother and after he unwraps his present tomorrow he's not going to let me anywhere near his bed – James is going to hate me for a while. Might as well make the most of it.

**25th Dec  
****11:15am**

Just and I really mean just, got a moment free to write. It's been manic this morning, everybody getting up, breakfasting, unwrapping presents at the slowest rate possible and then Mum had James and I straight in the kitchen and has spent nearly all morning grumbling about how he is refusing to talk to me and about why do I find it so funny?

See, it's James, Sirius and my tradition to buy each other the most impractical and stupid thing we can find to avoid any jealousy over gifts like there was first year when my quidditch book from Sirius was better than James'. I got Sirius a Celestina Warbeck, limited edition, singing bath mat that wails when you step it to get in the bath/shower and only stops when you get out. His hatred of his present was nothing compared to James' reaction when he saw his.

Everyone was opening their presents happily when James screamed. Mum and dad were embracing over the new necklace dad had bought her and there was a generally content atmosphere. Sophie was sat at the other end of the room to Sirius, James and I – that helped a great deal.

"Here, Jamesie, this is with love from me to you." I said as I passed over the oddly pointy package. He gave me a slightly nervous look but grinned as I pulled on my I LOVE JAMES POTTER T-shirt over my other top. He's told me to take it off four times since the present has been opened.

"Thanks Bills! This feels weird." Sirius quirked up an eyebrow at me but I ignored him in favour of watching James. Sirius hasn't said much to me this morning, choosing instead to clamber into James' bed with me and James and drive us to insanity with his 'original' Christmas carols. He tore off a corner of the wrapping and felt inside. "Huh," He smiled childishly, "It's furry."

"Get on with it Prongs." Sirius looked about as impatient as I felt. James withdrew his hand and ripped the wrapping paper off cleanly. There was a short pause as his eyes bugged behind his glasses and then he screamed. A real, girly, scream.

"James!" Mum leant over, obviously concerned, everyone in the room was watching and Sirius and I collapsed with laughter.

"AAHH! OH MY GOD! BILLIE, NO. OH MAN! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!" Sirius was now howling with mirth, banging his fists against the floor to express what he couldn't say with words. "BILLIE YOU ARE HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE!"

In the end, the rather handsome stuffed stag head had to be removed up to my room. Sirius was cackling all the way up as he gave me a hand and on the way back we had to take a break on the stairs to avoid being told off if we went back in the room still laughing. Sirius slung an arm around my shoulders and although I was a little unsure of what the hell he was going to do after last night, I managed not to tense up too much and he pretended not to notice, so I guess we're back to ignoring when not-strictly-platonic things happen as a result of Sirius. He confided in me that he's never had a Christmas like this one. I studied his face and saw he was, indeed, being serious. No decorations in every nook and cranny, the family round for more than just a few painful hours, presents – "meaningful presents, not just the best money can buy." I didn't know what to say so I wriggled in closer and let the loose arm on my shoulder squeeze me into a hug.

"Are you sure you want another one?" I joked as we pulled apart. He didn't really reply.

When we got back into the living room wrapping paper was being levitated into piles to be vanished and James nearly took me out with the large ball of his as he moved it to the pile. Mum commanded I take my pile of presents upstairs and then come back down to 'do the veg'. So I whipped my stuff upstairs and have been preparing vegetables (in between laughing at the pale, drawn face of my traumatised little stag) ever since.

"Take that T-Shirt off Billie, you don't love me."  
My Uncle Articus has been making up for last night (which all the adults have either forgotten or are not mentioning, I'm leaning on forgotten, my Dad loves to annoy me) by winding James up, popping his head around the kitchen door and asking him if he needs someone else to baste the turkey for him. "We're not going to be hearing screams of terror once the turkey becomes stuffed are we?"

Once the vegetables were done I was told to scarper so dad could get to work on his profiteroles and, instead of going to find Sirius and Sophie, although Marlene did shout their location as I went passed the room she was playing in, I decided to come up here to write and inspect my presents.

I'm not going to be childish and compare what I got to what James got. No point. Mum and dad bought me some new film for my old wizarding camera and a really cool photo album, where the pictures appear in the book as soon as they're taken. It's great, now I can document the second half of my last year at Hogwarts in pictures as well as in my diary. My Uncle and Auntie McKinnon, on my mum's side, bought me a huge jar of Bertie Botts and an Arithmacy Higher Level textbook (funny), my grandparents gave me a new England Quidditch hoodie that was so obviously picked by my dad it's untrue. Uncle Articus gave me a selection of NEWT level books on all the subjects needed to become an auror and tips on how to prepare yourself for the training afterwards. "I know it's not very fun, but we need some new talent in the auror department, we're getting too old and too tired for that kind of work." I felt really proud that he thought I could be a "new talent".

Lily owled over her gift, "A Book of Spells and Potions for the Easily Bored" it was a slightly insulting present but some of the hexes look great! Remus bought me a pair of _matching _pyjamas and Pete's owl arrived quite early this morning bringing us each a mound a mound of Honeydukes' Best. I obviously got the T-shirt from James and, keeping tradition, Sirius gave me a jar, just a random apothecary jar. It's blue.

Hopefully mum will give me a few more minutes to scribble some thank you notes to my friends, but I'd best not push time and get started now.

**11:00pm **

Sirius has broken the tradition. Our tradition that we only buy each other crap? He's gone and thrown that right out of the metaphorical window. I was feeling a little cold downstairs so I decided to go up and get my jumper from under my quilt. As I lifted the quilt up, another present was revealed. Jumper forgotten, I sat down on my bed and carefully removed the scarlet wrapping paper to find out what it was and who it was from. There wasn't a tag, but it was in my bed, so that made it mine.

It was a book. Well, a diary to be exact. The cover was made of something I suspect to be dragon hide and it's a deep maroon colour that almost glimmers in the light. It puts this old thing to shame anyway – it's beautiful and it seems Padfoot _does _have taste.

I lifted open the cover and was about to have a long flick through the pages, (the paper is quality, the diary must have cost more than a few galleons!) when a long note on the first page caught my eye. I'd recognise Sirius' upper class handwriting anywhere.

_Billie, _

_Merry Christmas. I hope you've had a great year and that next one is even better. I know I'm supposed to keep the tradition and only buy you something pointless lest either one of you Potter twins gets grumpy but I saw this and thought of you and I noticed you were running out of pages in your other diary. Please though, don't mention it to James, I haven't bought him anything nice and we both know he'll rage if he finds out. _

_I'm too proud to say it to your face but thank you for everything you've done for me this year, it hasn't always been an easy one but it's been great. Thank you. And, I guess I should apologise for the incident in the kitchen last night. Not that that there's anything to apologise for, really. _

_I hope you like the diary, have a great Christmas and I'll do my best to make sure next year is as great as this one has been. Remember, I'm always here when you need me, no matter how much of an 'idiot' I can be at times. Lots of love, Padfoot. _

I couldn't help grinning. That made it two years that I got a better present than James – not that I can imagine James pouring his thoughts into a diary. I'd love to have access to it if he did! Not only that, but the message was nothing short of adorable and it's nice to know that he genuinely appreciates my company and help. I should really tell him that he's apologising for making things awkward, last night and however many times in the future, but I think the kiss has been put to bed. Hopefully.

I made my way back downstairs, still smiling, after concealing the diary in my school trunk. Sirius was the only one who looked up when I re-entered and I gave him the warmest grin I could muster before joining him and Sophie on the sofa.

"Thanks." I breathed, nudging him slightly with my leg. He just smiled.

* * *

**A/N: **Well there you go, that's all there is until possibly January time. I did try to warn you how bad I am at writing kiss scenes and there was almost two in that chapter! Please review and let me know what you think, this story has about as many words as the half blood prince so my hat goes off to all you who've read it all! Merry Christmas!


	50. Author's Note

Hey everyone!

SO, I've done it. The second story is now in progress and the first chapter has been uploaded! Exciting stuff, and I really am excited for the plot – sad that isn't it? (slightly arrogant as well, it's unintentional, promise) But seriously, it is ALL going to kick off in the new story, I fear I'm becoming too emotionally attatched-

**Other fandom reference:**

Like with Sherlock, oh my DAYS guys, you should have seen me after Reichenbach! I was crying at the mere mention of it and I think I'm never going to be able to listen to If You Ever Come Back by The Script, No Light, No Light by Flo + the machine or Buildings by Regina Spektor EVER AGAIN.

-but yes, exciting times ahead.

I know, it's been ages since I last updated and I have been a horrible person and not replied to many of your reviews and questions and things but I have had six exams, SIX, all of which are important to me and I had to revise for but they're done as of tomorrow and I'm going to start writing at least something every night be it this or some random one shots, I don't know. But, it would mean the world to me if you didn't give up on this (as I'm sure it's tempting to do) and follow the new story despite the hassle because I really love you all and I need you all there if I'm going to find the will power to finish this beast and not let the ending rot in my head until the end of time.

I need to thank the people who've made this story more grammatically correct than it would have been, **MercyFoundaWayForMe **and **FezzesRCool25 **– you're both amazing. And I cannot express in words how thankful I am to all of you for making writing this worthwhile. All of you, even you lurkers, I'm so grateful that you've all stuck with this so _thank you! _

The new story's called (check out this for an inventive title) **The Diary of a Misunderstood Potter Book Two. **Because, sometimes I am just too creative.

I'll see you there, yeah?

Annabel/chadders :)

P.S. I'm sure I've forgotten something in this note so if you still have any questions/requests/anything PM me or drop it in a review. Or you know, PM me anyway, I want to get to know you all and spread the love I've got for you :)

OH! And if I ever start taking too long updating again without good cause, NAG ME. It's because of my friend (_Emily Dainton, who is wonderful and amazing and klainebows and merth-mallows) _complaining that people were taking too long to update their fics and that it was really unfair that they only updated once a week. Obviously, I barely update in a month so it made me feel guilty. So yeah, nagging works!


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